


Summer Child

by wolfmaid



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, At the beginning of this story Dany is pregnant with another mans child, Childbirth, Coming of Age, Don’t like it don’t read it, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Growing Up, Infant Death, Jon Snow is Not a Targaryen, Jon Snow knows MANY things, Jon is a doctor, Mentions of miscarriage, Modern Westeros, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, probably a slow burn, serious themes relating to Jon's Occupation, we all know how I am
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:07:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 55,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26981899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfmaid/pseuds/wolfmaid
Summary: Wintertown is small and no new comer arrives unnoticed. Local doctor, Jon Snow meets a stranger on the road. Humor and heartbreak ensue.
Relationships: Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen
Comments: 536
Kudos: 736





	1. Winter Snow

**Author's Note:**

> So I've been mulling over this story idea for a few months and decided to get it out of my head. The last thing I need to do is start another story, but I figured since Take Me Home to Winterfell is only a few chapters away from being done, and Little Darling is 1/2 to 3/4 of the way finished I figured it would not hurt to post a little chapter. I will start posting on it for real after I have finished Take Me Home to Winterfell, and will work on it more simultaneously with Life After Death. 
> 
> I hope everyone enjoys this little snap shot.

Snow drifts on the side of the road proved that Winter was long established in Wintertown. After getting off late, as he usually did, Dr. Jon Snow drove in the dark toward the ancient family home of the Starks on Christmas Eve. He was not on call, but he kept his phone on anyway, he always requested that the nurses at the hospital inform him if one of his patients checked in. The night had been long and weary, and he was ready to be at home with his family. Up ahead, Jon saw flashing lights. A car was stopped on the side of the road and he could just make out the figure of a small woman standing beside the car staring at the tire. When he drew a bit closer, he could see that she looked young, and cold and lost. Setting aside his desire for the warm hearth of Winterfell, Jon pulled over. No one needed to be alone in this dark, cold on the side of this lonely highway… especially not on Christmas Eve. He got out of the car, tightening his coat and scarf around him, and walked toward the young woman.

“Good evening,” Jon greeted, using his best professional tone. He did not want to scare her, seeing as she was all alone out here, “Do you need some help?”

She eyed him warily, “No, I’m just going to change my flat and get going, I’m almost to town I think.”

“You’re about twenty minutes out,” Jon offered, as he considered her. The car she drove was expensive and her clothes were fine, what was a wealthy young woman doing out in the middle of nowhere in the cold without any roadside assistance… surely, she had a cellphone?

“Where’s your spare?” He asked as he noted that she was just standing there making no move to change said tire.

“It’s in the trunk, I’m about to get it out,” She said swiftly and made for the trunk, and when she did, her coat fell open just enough for Jon’s trained eyes to notice…

“How far along are you?” He asked, stopping her from opening the trunk and doing it himself.

The woman cut an icey glare at him, but he knew a pregnant woman when he saw one and so he stared right back.

She gnawed her lower lip, “About five months…”

Jon sighed at her, “You don’t need to be lifting spare tires.”

“And I don’t need a man telling me what to do,” She snapped.

“I’m a doctor,” Jon said, ignoring her protest and pulling the tire out anyway, “And it seems like you need someone to tell you what to do if you are out here in the cold contemplating lifting a spare tire when you are five months pregnant.”

She crossed her arms over her chest defensively, pulling her coat around her to hide her obvious baby bump, “And what else was I supposed to do, stand out here and freeze to death? What if you had not come along?”

Jon shrugged, he supposed that was fair, but he was still not going to let her change this tire, “Look it’s been a long night, and I am sure we both want to get home to our families, I know I do, so why don’t you accept my help, let me change the tire, and we can both be on our way?”

“Fine,” She huffed.

Jon went to work on the lug nuts and stole glances at the woman at he worked, “So how does a person like you not have some sort of roadside assistance?”

“A person like me?” She bit back.

“Sorry, not exactly what I meant.”

“I’d hate to see your bedside manner, doctor,” She snapped.

Jon chuckled, “You from near here? I’ve never seen you around before.”

“And you know everyone in this town?” She asked derisively.

“Most everyone,” Jon replied with a smirk. She was fiery, this one, and he was not entirely sure what to make of her.

She studied him, “I’m from around.”

“Alright, fair enough,” He conceded with a chuckle as he changed the tire out.

They were quiet for a few minutes and Jon noticed her shiver.

“If you want to go sit in my car and turn the heat on while I finish, you can,” Jon offered, holding the keys out to her.

“I’ll be fine,” She insisted softly.

“Suit yourself,” Jon shrugged, “Coming to Wintertown to visit family?” He tried to make small talk though small talk was not necessarily his forte.

“Moving here actually,” She said.

“Oh, well, welcome,” Jon smiled, and she looked at the ground.

“Thank you.”

“Hey, this may be strange seeing as we are on the side of the road and all, but if you need a doctor…” He started but her eyes snapped up and glared at him.

“I don’t,” She said firmly.

“I just thought I’d offer considering…” Jon gestured toward her belly before raking a hand through his hair, “I can recommend someone…”

“I’m fine, thank you,” She said swiftly, she was guarded and fidgety like someone who had something to hide. 

Jon nodded and finished tightening up the lug nuts after having replaced the tire. Shuddering in the cold, and smelling the snow on the wind, Jon stood and faced her.

“All set,” He offered her a smile. She had striking violet eyes that Jon did not think he would ever forget, “I’m Jon by the way.”

“I thought you were a doctor?” She furrowed her brow.

Jon grinned, “Most doctors do have first names.”

She smiled begrudgingly, “I’m Dany,” was her soft reply, “Thank you for stopping, I do appreciate it.”

“Its not everyday I get to rescue a damsel in distress,” Jon teased knowing that it would get a rise out of her.

She huffed, “I am not a damsel in distress.”

Jon laughed, “Be safe and have a merry Christmas…”

She pursed her lips, “Thank you, you too…”

“And don’t be lifting things that are twice your size,” Jon admonished.

She rolled her eyes, but Jon could see a smile at the corner of her mouth, “I will try and remember not too.”

Jon stood on the side of the road and watched her get inside her car and drive off toward Wintertown and tried not to wonder too much about the mysterious young woman. The old gossips in this town were rubbing off on him. Wintertown was a small place and everyone knew everyone and so newcomers were always quite noticeable. He wondered what could have brought her to a place like this? She did not sound like she was from the North. Shaking his head, Jon got back in his car and continued toward Winterfell.

* * *

Winterfell was a massive, refurbished castle that still had many of the ancient trappings of an old Northern Keep. Jon had grown up here with his Uncle and Aunt and their five children. It would always be home, more than any other place in the world. As usual he was the last to arrive. He saw Robb’s car, and Arya’s, and Sansa and Pod’s. Getting out of his car, he strode up the walk and glanced in the window into the front room for a moment. Everyone was piled in the room, under blankets, and drinking Aunt Cat’s famous hot chocolate no doubt. Christmas at the Starks was always beautiful and full of life. When he had been in medical school, he had missed a few years and it always made his heart ache. Though he supposed it was not uncommon to ache for home this time of year. Being near his family was the primary reason he had returned to the north to set up his practice. Opening the front door, Jon snuck in and was immediately assaulted by a chorus of his name as bodies came rushing toward him as if they had not seen him in years.

“Jon!”

Dogs barked.

“Jon!”

People crowded into the entry way, as well as dogs.

“Jon’s here!”

Jon laughed and hugged them in turn. He had seen all of them only a few days ago.

“What took you so bloody long?” Arya demanded to know.

“I was working,” Jon laughed.

“Excuses, excuses,” She tapped her foot on the floor. Arya was a precocious college student, who seemed to want to follow in his footsteps, except she wanted to be a trauma surgeon. Jon thought she had spent to many hours watching medical dramas in high school, but he encouraged her. If she wanted to be a trauma surgeon, who was he to say she could not? She was brilliant enough. Perhaps Jon had chosen a field too mundane for someone like Arya.

“Babies won’t deliver themselves,” Jon said with a laugh.

Arya rolled her eyes playfully, “Technically they will.”

“Well, maybe so, but someone has to catch them,” Jon chuckled and mussed her hair like he used to do to her when she was a child.

“I suppose, you are useful for something than,” Arya teased.

Jon hugged her firmly.

“Come inside out of the doorway, son,” Ned Stark called out, as he pushed himself past Arya and Rickon and the dogs that had made their way to the door.

Jon closed the door behind him and bent down to greet Ghost.

“Hello, old boy, I missed you,” Jon scratched him behind the ears. Ghost was his, but he had left him here at Winterfell two days ago when he had gotten called out for an emergency delivery.

“You look freezing,” said Aunt Cat as she handed him a cup of cocoa.

“I am a bit,” Jon said feeling his teeth chatter, “Got a little soaked through changing a tire.”

“Oh no! You had a flat?” Rickon exclaimed.

“No, no,” Jon laughed, “There was a woman stuck on the road, and I stopped to help her.”

“A woman?” Robb asked with a smirk, “A pretty woman?”

“I suppose she was pretty,” Jon confessed, thinking of those big violet eyes.

Robb laughed, and Jon was pulled into the living room. Curled up on the sofa still under her blanket was Sansa. Jon went to her and sat down beside her. He put a hand on her growing belly.

“How are you feeling?” He asked in concern, “Any more sickness or pain?”

She chuckled, “Jon this is not work, and I am not your patient.”

“I’m just checking on you,” He smiled and squeezed her hand. The little one inside her was a happy surprise after a devastating miscarriage. Jon wanted her to be safe.

“You worry to much,” Sansa said though her eyes were soft, “I think you worry more than Podrick if that is even possible.”

“Its my job to worry about pregnant ladies,” Jon teased.

“Dr. Olenna is taking very good care of me,” Sansa assured him. Dr. Olenna Tyrell, and Dr. Val Wilde both were in practice with Jon in the same OB/GYN office across the street from Wintertown’s very small, somewhat inadequate hospital.

“She had better be,” Jon said, gently patting Sansa’s belly, “How’s Podrick?”

“Coping,” Sansa said sadly, “He wants to be home so badly.”

Podrick, Sansa’s husband, had been deployed for nearly a year, he worked in army supply, and every time they thought he would get to come home for good, his tour was extended. He had come home on leave about five months ago, which resulted in the surprise baby Sansa was now carrying. Sansa was staying with Cat and Ned so that she would not be putting any undo strain on her body. They wanted to be extra careful after their miscarriage. Jon’s heart had broken for them, but the miscarriage had been sudden and there had been nothing medicine could do for them. Sometimes he felt the limitations of medicine more keenly than others.

“Step your fretting,” Sansa admonished with a smile, “You are going to be a wrinkly old man, with the way that you are constantly furrowing your brow.”

Jon grinned, and gave her hand a squeeze.

“Merry Christmas, Jon.”

“Merry Christmas, Sans.”

They smiled at each other in understanding.

“Isn’t she getting big, Jon?” Arya asked interrupting them.

“Arya!” Sansa snapped incredulously.

“What? It’s a good thing!” Arya exclaimed making Jon laugh. He grabbed Arya around the waist and pulled her down onto the sofa beside him and messed her hair some more. The rest of the family gathered in the room and passed around a large bowl of popcorn. This place was so much better then his empty and cold apartment in town. There was laughter and merriment and the overwhelming sense of coming home that always emanated from the halls of Winterfell... Jon would not have it any other way.


	2. Damsel in Distress (Dany)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently I have zero chill when I am thinking about a new story, I feel like I can always crank out the first few chapters so fast. Anyway, thank you for the support and enthusiasm for this little idea I have planned. Here is a little chapter introducing Dany. 
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope everyone enjoys!

Daenerys Targaryen rolled into Wintertown on a freshly changed tire for which she was truly grateful that she did not have to change herself… as she did not… in fact… know how to change a tire. She had been contemplating her predicament when the hot doctor showed up and saved the day. She imagined he was a passionate trauma surgeon with a penchant for saving people, like in those silly medical dramas that she used to watch when she was a teenager. Unfortunately, she had not been very nice, but she was also rather put out with all mankind at the moment and did not take kindly to becoming the proverbial damsel in distress… whether or not it was true. Parking her car and putting aside thoughts of hot doctors, Dany looked up at her friend Missandei’s house. The house was perhaps the cutest house she had ever seen. Yes, it was rather small, but it had a red door, and vintage scalloped molding around the front porch, which was in possession of a front porch swing. She and Missandei had been best friends for years and had attended the same private elite preparatory high school, for which Missandei had had a scholarship and Dany had been reluctantly born into. The other kids had been cruel to Missandei, knowing she was on scholarship, but Missandei had put them in their place quickly by rising within a semester to the top of their class. Missandei had went on to the prestigious University in Old Town and then came here to be an archivist for a rare document and book collection which could be found nowhere else in the world. Missandei was the sister that Dany had always wanted, and Dany was proud to know her. 

Getting out of her car and retrieving the couple of bags she had brought with her, she trudged through the snow to the front door. She had little experience with snow, but she was not entirely sure that she liked it. She rang the doorbell.

Missandei’s kind face appeared a moment later, welcoming her inside, “Dany, I am so happy to see you!”

Dany hugged her friend, “I’m happy to be here, it’s been too long, thank you for letting me stay here.”

“You will always be welcome with me,” Missandei tugged her inside, “It will get to be the college experience we never got to have.”

Dany smiled. She had wanted to go to Old Town with Missandei and study art, but her father and mother had insisted she stay in King’s Landing and study law. Subsequently, she had dropped out and had been living with her parents ever since… well, she had not actually ever left her parents in the first place. The thought was a not a proud one for her… but had never seemed to matter before… not until everything changed. She put her hand on her bump protectively.

Missandei looked down at her little belly, “You’re glowing.”

“I think that is the snow,” Dany chuckled.

“How far along are you?” Missandei asked.

Dany grinned, people seemed to love to ask that question, “About five months, well I guess it’s a little closer to four months, somewhere in that range anyway, it does not seem that I should already be showing this much, but my doctor said its because I’m so small.”

Missandei patted her little bump affectionately, “Well there is plenty of room for all three of us here, come on, lets go upstairs.”

Missandei took one of her bags, and Dany took the other and they ascended a narrow staircase to the small second floor.

“You and baby will have the second floor to yourselves, there is a bathroom, a small room for baby, and then a room for you,” Missandei explained, “My room is downstairs.”

Dany nodded, feeling overwhelming gratitude for her friend taking her in at such short notice.

“I was going to tell you, there is a job opening in circulation at the small library attached to my archive,” Missandei said, “It may be a good place for you to start your job hunt, it won’t pay a whole lot, but at least working for the city you will have health insurance, which you will need.”

“Thank you, Missandei,” She said with determination, “I’ll look into it first thing tomorrow.”

Missandei smiled softly, “The library is not open on Christmas day.”

Dany tried to laugh that off, “Of course, I meant to say the day after.”

Missandei nodded sympathetically. Dany wandered if her friend thought she had turned into the spoiled and impossible rich kid they had occasionally mocked in high school. The fact of the matter was Dany knew nothing about life… she had never even had a job. Yet, here she was trying to bring another life into the world.

* * *

Missandei helped her put away her clothes and what little by way of personal belongings she had brought. In her efforts to cut ties, Dany had only brought items directly gifted to her, including the car which had been a gift on her eighteenth birthday and still ran well, everything else she had left behind in King’s Landing. When they were finished, Missandei touched her arm.

“Now that that’s done, lets go down and have some milk and cookies, and watch that old black and white movie you love so much, about the angel?” Missandei urged.

Dany agreed.

“First though you need to put on pajamas,” Missandei said, sounding like a little girl at a slumber party.

Dany chuckled, “Yes I suppose I do.”

“You change, and I will go down and get the cookies out.”

Dany nodded and watched as Missandei retreated downstairs.

Digging through her bags, Dany realized with frustration that she had no warm pajamas. All her pajamas were in some form of silk or satin or light skimpy cotton, and not at all suited for the frigid cold of the north. She knew the north was cold, but she had not realized how cold. Choosing a satiny two-piece pajama set, as it was the only one, she had that was pants and long sleeves, Dany changed and looked at herself in the floor length mirror. Her pregnant belly was much more evident in this get up. She sighed. The hot doctor certainly had a keen eye to have been able to see her little bump under her coat on the side of the road, but she was indeed getting bigger. She a ran a hand over her bump.

“It’s going to be good here, sweetling, you will see,” She whispered to her unborn baby, “We’ll learn to be real people here. We will show them all that we can do this all on our own, you’re my whole world now.” 

Before going downstairs, Dany placed her framed picture of her parents on her dresser and sighed. 

Dany drifted downstairs to find Missandei. Her friend was already sitting on the couch waiting for her with milk and cookies. Dany was ravenous and the smell of the cookies permeating the air did wonders to lift her spirits. She plopped, ungracefully, onto the sofa and reached for a cookie.

“They’re warm,” She said in wonder, “Did you cook them?”

Missandei laughed, “Yes, I baked them.”

Dany had never prepared anything bigger than a salad or a sandwich in her entire life. She supposed she would need to learn how to cook if this escape were going to be successful. In truth, she had a lot to learn. Her whole life, things had always been done for her, and so she was going to need to learn to do for herself.

“Once we have got you established in a job and the holidays have passed, you are going to need to find an OB/GYN,” Missandei said casually.

Dany had honestly not given enough thought to her prenatal care as she made her hasty escape, but she knew Missandei was right.

“Any suggestions?” Dany asked as she munched a cookie.

“I have seen Dr. Olenna Tyrell for my yearly,” Missandei said, “She’s an excellent doctor.”

“I suppose I could try her.”

“You can shop around too, there are not as many doctor options here as there are in King’s Landing, but if you don’t want to see Dr. Olenna there are others,” Missandei said with a smile.

“I’ll try Dr. Olenna first,” Dany said. The hot doctor on the roadside had offered to recommend some but she had refused. Why did she have to be so stubborn?

Missandei looked her over, “Are those the warmest pajamas you have?”

Dany felt raw emotion threatening her. Pregnant Dany was either a puddle of tears or a dragon lady, and she hated all the unwanted emotions.

“Yes,” She said trying to keep her emotions in check. Pajamas were nothing to cry over.

“I’m sorry, I know you did not move up here to have another mother,” Missandei chuckled, and offered her the plate of cookies.

“Thank you,” Dany said softly.

Missandei grinned at her, “Lets watch this movie then, and learn how wonderful life can be.”

Dany smiled, happy and content, and relatively confident about the challenges awaiting her in this new life she sought. Shivering, she certainly needed new pajamas. 


	3. A Day's Work (Jon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note I know nothing about childbirth, babies, or the medical profession! I just like biting off more than I can chew apparently! I hope everyone can forgive any errors of fact. This is just a little chapter setting up Jon's life in Wintertown. I hope everyone enjoys!

“Gentle pushes now,” Jon coached calmly as the baby began to emerge into the world. Sara, the laboring mother, nodded frantically, but very calmly and beautifully pushed her infant right into Jon’s waiting arms with a couple of contractions.

“She’s here,” Jon announced, as he quickly suctioned the baby and lifted her to lay on Sara’s chest.

“Dad, would you like to cut the cord?” Jon offered, smiling at the large, openly weeping man at Sara’s side. The man nodded and Jon handed him the scissors. Jon got the cord clamped off, and then showed the father where to cut. Sitting back down on his stool, Jon awaited the placenta while the happy family ooed and awed over their new arrival. Trying to be gentle, he pushed on Sara’s belly to make sure she was contracting. He breathed a sigh of relief that no stitching was required, he considered that a solid victory for a first-time mom. The delivery had been miraculously peaceful, and Sara had done a fantastic job. Blinking his sore eye from having accidentally been kicked in the face early this morning by a laboring mother during a decidedly unpeaceful birth, Jon supposed some births simply went smoother than others for both mother and doctor. He would probably have a black eye, but he rode it off as an occupational hazard… though he could not remember Olenna ever having been kicked. Val on the other hand, had a few wild stories… Val, though, in Jon’s humble opinion, usually deserved it. He did not approve of Val’s brash and domineering personality in the delivery room, laboring mothers did not respond well to be being bossed. Jon always sought to be a peaceful and stabilizing presence, especially for mothers who were scared. As a woman herself, Jon thought Val would be more sympathetic, but she was not. Perhaps he was being unfair? Val was, after all, a skilled OB/GYN with plenty of patients who loved her.

With placenta born and mother and baby stable, and father still standing, Jon’s work was done for now until he made his rounds. Right before he left the room, he remembered to have the nurse call for a lactation consultant, he had nearly forgotten that Sara had specifically asked for one. After washing his hands and letting Sara know that he would be back around to check on her, Jon left the family in the capable hands of the nurses. As he exited the delivery suite and made his way toward the doctor’s lounge, he caught sight of his best friend Sam wandering the halls… obviously looking for him, since Sam specialized in geriatrics and had little reason to be in the labor and delivery ward.

“What happened to your eye?” Sam asked with a chuckle.

Jon opened the door to the doctor’s lounge and ushered Sam inside, “It collided with a very aggressive foot.”

“I guess it gets wild up here,” Sam said.

“I suppose it can,” Jon smiled.

“Lunch?”

“A brief one, I have another patient who is nearly ready, so I need to be close by,” Jon explained.

Sam produced two sandwiches from the bag he was carrying.

“Gilly says you don’t eat enough,” Sam said by way of explanation, “And she’s usually right.”

Jon laughed, “Tell her I said thank you.”

“I’m the one who actually made the sandwiches,” Sam protested.

Jon took a bite, “Thank you then.”

“Are you going to the New Year’s Eve Party at Tormund’s pub?” Sam asked, munching happily upon his own sandwich.

“Aye, if none of my patient’s need me,” Jon said, “I’m not on call that night, but I do have a young patient, sixteen, she could be ready any day now, and she needs me to be there, not the on call OB whom she does not know.”

Jon’s heart was always a little more invested with the young mothers… his own mother had only been sixteen when she died giving birth to him… it was one of the reasons he had become an OB/GYN. Olenna was always chastising him for becoming too invested. _“You’re not their father, their brother, or their friend, you’re their doctor,”_ She would say, but it was always harder to stay objective when a frightened sixteen year old showed up in his office with little support in her life. He did not think compassion was a weakness, as long as it did not interfere with his ability to be medically objective.

“You practically live at this place,” Sam said.

“I love my job,” Jon said. Wintertown was a small town, Wintertown Hospital, however, was the only hospital within 200 miles and so they saw quite a lot of traffic from the surrounding communities as well as from Wintertown itself. This place was more than a job to him, it was a calling.

“Loving a job and being a workaholic is not the same thing,” Sam said.

Jon smiled, “I suppose not.”

“Anyway, Gilly and I will be at the party,” Sam continued, “As will other interesting people we know, so you won’t be bored if that is what you are worried about.”

“I’m not worried,” Jon laughed, “I said I was going to go.”

“Good.”

Suddenly, the door to the lounge was flung open, and a nurse popped her head in, “Doctor, Mrs. Smith is ready to push and this baby is not waiting!”

Jon leapt up and hastily thanked Sam before dashing down the hall. He made it just in time.

* * *

The day had been a long one ending in an emergency c-section and a mother in tears. A placental abruption had them rushing the crying mother to OR. Jon tried his best to comfort her and not to frighten her, but the baby was not getting enough oxygen. Both baby and mother were fine now but there had been a few dicey moments, before baby was rushed to NICU and mother was left saddened that she could not birth her baby and fearing that it had somehow been her fault. Before he left for the day, Jon made some time to sit with her and explain everything that happened in hopes that it would give her some peace of mind. He was not sure he was successful. Sighing, he entered his apartment, Jon bent down to greet Ghost and heard his stomach growl.

“Hello, old boy, I suppose you are ready for a walk,” He scratched the dog behind the ears, “Come on, then.”

The two of them trotted down the lane from his apartment toward their favorite food truck. Purchasing a hotdog for Ghost and hamburger for himself, the two continued on their way.

“Hi Dr. Jon!” Yelled a woman from an open car window as it rolled down the street.

With his mouth full of burger, Jon waved. Some of his superiors, during residency, had thought it crazy for a doctor of his caliber to relocate to such a backwater town… but Wintertown was his home and he would not be anywhere else. He liked knowing people, and people knowing him. 

“Just get off?” Val’s voice startled him and turned to see her coming up behind him and jogging in place while he had a mouthful of burger.

“Um, yeah, just going in?”

“In my joggers?” Val chortled.

Jon shrugged, he kept spare clothes at the hospital and figured Val did too.

“I’m on duty tonight,” Val admitted after a moment. 

Ghost gave a little growl at Val, as he was prone to do in her presence. Val really was not so bad, but she did have the type of personality that took some getting accustomed too. She was an attractive and intelligent woman, but grating, or at least grating to him.

“What happened to your eye?” she asked incredulously, as she studied his face.

Jon sighed, “Got kicked.”

Val threw back her head and laughed, “You got kicked?”

“Yes,” Jon frowned, “I don’t know why that is so unbelievable to everyone.”

“I don’t know, it’s just funny,” Val said, seeming unable to keep a straight face, “It’s turning into a nice shiner.”

“I’m aware,” Jon said, touching the spot on his eye.

“Well anyway, the real reason I stopped, I never got the chance to thank you,” Val said continuing to jog in place beside him.

“Me?” Jon queried.

“For giving that birth control lecture at the high school,” She explained.

“Oh, that, it was not a big deal,” Jon said. Val had an emergency delivery when she was supposed give a lecture at the high school, and Olenna could not cover for her and so Jon did it. He had not given it a second thought.

“I’m sure all those little teenage girls were much more persuaded about birth control by the hot doctor then the old hag anyway,” Val teased, and Jon rolled his eyes.

He sometimes wondered if Val truly was a professional.

“With your and Olenna’s disdain for each other, I have half a mind to abandon ship and start my own practice on the other side of town,” Jon grumbled as he took another bite of his hamburger. 

“Those are bad for you, you know,” she said with a smirk.

“Aye, I know,” Jon said, “I was hoping it’d put me in cardiac arrest, so I did not have to stand here any longer.”

Val laughed and Ghost growled again.

“I don’t think your dog likes me,” she said still smiling.

“He’s a wolf,” Jon corrected, “And I don’t think he likes your laugh.”

“Ha ha,” Val mocked, “Well, I’m going to finish my jog, have fun with your hamburger.”

Jon nodded at her and shook his head as she trotted off, “I intend too!” He yelled after her, and Ghost turned his head to the side and stared at Jon with a critical look upon his face.

“Petty, I know,” Jon said to the dog, “But that woman is a pill.”

Ghost nudged him.

“Do you want another hotdog?” Jon asked, as they continued their walk. Ghost gave a little grumble, and Jon patted his head, “We will get you another hotdog, because you’re a good boy.”

* * *

At about 3 a.m., Jon received the message that his teenage patient, whom he had anticipated going into labor, had checked into the hospital. Jon readied himself for battle and dashed out the door. He lived within walking distance of the hospital and so he made it in minutes. Walking into the Labor and Delivery ward, he ran into one of the night nurses.

“I thought you were off tonight?” asked Jeyne Westerling, whom he and Robb had gone to high school with.

“Alys Karstark is in labor,” Jon said, as he pulled on his white coat.

“She’s in good hands, you know,” Jeyne chided, “I would have kept you updated.”

“Val’s the physician on tonight, and I don’t want her going in there and frightening Alys.”

Jeyne nodded in understanding.

“She is off putting to some patients.”

“I’m what?” Val’s amused voice from around the corner called, and she appeared having obviously heard what he said.

“I said you are off putting,” Jon reiterated without remorse, which made her laugh. They were friends to some extent, or colleagues at the least, but they certainly had professional differences, “Stay out of Karstark’s room,” he warned.

“Yeah, yeah,” Val waved him off, “I know how you are,” She grabbed a chart and headed down the hall.

As Jon expected when he arrived in Alys’ room, Mrs. Karstark was sitting sternly on the little sofa watching Alys struggle.

“Hello Alys,” Jon greeted.

“Hello, Dr. Snow,” She greeted timidly. She had always been rather shy, and Jon thought it might have something to do with her obstinate mother.

“I’m going to check your progress and we will see about getting you the epidural so you can rest better,” Jon said and the girl nodded.

“I thought you did not want the epidural honey?” Mrs. Karstark asked, while Jon washed his hands and Jeyne stood by.

“I want it,” Alys said firmly.

Her mother only shook her head in exasperation, “You got yourself into this mess, you deserve to feel every bit of this,” snapped Mrs. Karstark. Jeyne and Jon exchanged concerned looks.

“Is there a daula or a support person on tonight?” Jon asked Jeyne quietly. Their hospital sometimes had volunteers available to support women who were laboring alone. Volunteers at night, however, were hit or miss, but Jon felt that Alys could use a little extra support of they consented.

“I will check,” said Jeyne.

As Jeyne and Jon got Alys into a position for the exam, Jon talk to her about her Christmas to help take her mind off it. When he was finished, he paged the anesthesiologist for the epidural. Mrs. Karstark did not protest but she glared at Jon spitefully. Jon, however, was not cowed. While he was a supporter of natural childbirth when a mother wanted it, he was not going to deny a young girl pain relief if that is what she wanted. If Mrs. Karstark did not want it for her daughter, then she could have it out with the anesthesiologist. Navigating a birth in which the patient was a minor was always tricky, especially when the parent was not particularly kind or supportive.

“Alys, I’ll be back around to check on you in a little while, and Jeyne will be here too,” Jon said, hoping to provide a source of stability.

“Just push the button if you need something,” Jeyne instructed and Alys nodded. Jon and Jeyne stepped out into the hallway and moved toward the nurse’s station, out of earshot from anyone who might be passing by.

“Keep an eye on her,” Jon said, “And as much as you are able keep the mother from bullying her, and if you need me to come back and have it out with the mother… well, you have my number.”

“Yes, doctor.”

“She has some time yet, but if you need me call me, I won’t be far.”

* * *

In the late morning, Alys delivered a beautiful little boy, and the brave girl had hardly made a sound in the whole process. She had the epidural much to Jon’s relief. Jon rubbed the little baby’s feet to get him a little more alert… another Snow born into the world. Alys was giving the baby up for adoption and the social worker and adoptive parents were already waiting in the waiting area. Jon wiped the baby down a bit with the towel Jeyne had handed him and then lifted him so that Alys could see.

“Do you want to hold him, Alys?” Jon asked with a smile.

“No, she doesn’t!” snapped Mrs. Karstark, “That’s just cruel.”

Alys looked down at Jon pleadingly, “Y-yes, I want to hold him.”

After Jeyne opened Alys’ robe a bit, Jon placed the baby against her, skin to skin. She would at least get to hold her little miracle for a little bit while the placenta was delivered, and Jon finished his necessary tasks. He had remained calm and collected, and completely objective. He congratulated himself that Olenna was not entirely fair in her assessment that his compassion hindered him.

* * *

With Alys delivered a few days prior, and none of his other patients imminently due, he was able to go to the New Year’s Eve party at Tormund’s pub. He could breathe relatively easily after a busy week, knowing all his patients were taken care of. Walking into the pub, music was blaring, much to his surprise, Tormund typically kept a more chill environment. Noticing Jeyne Westerling, Jon went and sat down next to her at the bar.

“Another long day, doctor?” She asked with a pleasant smile.

“Not too bad today,” Jon said.

“Your eye is still black,” Jeyne chuckled.

“Well, Mrs. Stokeworth had a mean kick,” Jon grinned. Jeyne had been the attending nurse for that birth.

“She certainly did, I thought she about knocked you out,” Jeyne could not help but laugh.

“If she had, I’m sure you would have stepped in just fine,” Jon said.

“Not likely,” Jeyne cringed, “Not with her screaming like a banshee.”

“It was certainly an unforgettable birth,” Jon agreed, though he kept his personal thoughts on Mrs. Stokeworth, as he did with all of his patients, to himself.

“Something like that,” Jeyne said.

“I think you should train to be a midwife; I think you’d be great at it,” Jon said, changing the subject.

“And be bullied by Dr. Wilde?” Jeyne asked. Val did not fully approve of midwives.

“I don’t know, I think you could take her on,” Jon said as he ordered drinks for the both of them.

“And to what do I owe this?” asked Jeyne.

“For being a champ with Alys, I know it was not an easy situation.”

Jeyne blanched and looked into her water glass, “She cried for a long time after they took the baby.”

Jon nodded, he had seen her right before the baby was taken, and she had not been in much better shape.

“Is your cousin coming tonight?” Jeyne asked curiously, obviously being anxious for a change of subject as well.

“Robb?”

“No, Jon, Rickon,” Jeyne said with a sarcastic roll of her eyes.

Jon chuckled, “Yes, I believe Robb is coming.”

Jeyne had been sweet on Robb since they were in high school, but Robb had seemed to put the kindhearted woman decidedly in the friend zone.

Jon took a swig of his drink.

“What happened to your eye?” Tormund, the burly red-headed barkeeper, bellowed. Jeyne giggled surreptitiously.

“Occupational hazard,” Jon said with a smile and shake of his head.

“But you’re a doctor?” Tormund grimaced.

Jon could only sigh, perhaps his assessment of his occupational risks was incorrect, and this was simply a nebulous phenomenon, “Yes, yes, I’m a doctor,” Jon said offering no further explanation.

The pub was beginning to grow more crowded, and loud commotion in the doorway drew Jon’s attention. Robb had certainly arrived. Jeyne and Jon watched him make his way through the crowd.

“Jon!” He shouted, over a few heads.

Jon nodded at his cousin and stole a glance at Jeyne out of the corner of his eye.

“What happened to your eye?” Robb asked loudly over people’s heads and above the music, and Jeyne nearly fell off her stool laughing.

Jon rolled his eyes, as Robb approached, “I walked into a door.”

Robb laughed, “You gotta be more careful.”

Jeyne was still trying to gain control of herself. Robb patted her on the back as if she were one of the boys, which made her sober up and scowl at him. Robb took the seat on Jeyne’s other side, so that she was in between them.

“Guess who is here, Jon?” Robb said with a smirk.

“Who?” Jon took another sip of his drink.

“Margaery Tyrell,” Robb said with a teasing smirk.

Jon nearly groaned, ever since he had started practicing with her grandmother, Margaery Tyrell had been relentless in her pursuit of his attentions. She had been something of a socialite in highschool, and continued in her social climbing ways, and was very intent on marrying a doctor or a lawyer, whichever one she could tie down first. Jon had been on her radar ever since he added M.D. to his name. Robb thought it was hilarious… Jon did not.

“Robb leave Jon alone,” Jeyne scolded.

“I’m just trying to give him a little push in the right direction,” said Robb.

“And you would know what the right direction is?” Jeyne snapped.

“I have a good sense about these things,” Robb explained.

Jeyne rolled her eyes.

Jon shook his head and scanned the room for other acquaintances, and that was when his eyes landed on the woman across the room, sitting with Gilly’s friend, Missandei, from the library. It was the woman from the side of the road on Christmas Eve, he would never forget those eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Side note: the next chapter on Take Me Home to Winterfell is nearly done, I just needed to sleep on it for a day or two because I got stuck.


	4. A Job and a Doctor (Dany)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dany gets a job surprisingly quickly and attends the New Years Eve party. 
> 
> Its been a long work week, but writing on this story has been fun. Thank you for reading and for your encouraging comments, I appreciate everyone's enthusiasm and support, it makes my day better!

Christmas passed quietly for Dany and Missandei in the little northern cottage. Now it was time for Dany to get a job. This morning she had very decisively cut up the credit card that her father paid for, and she would be running low on cash soon. Missandei had said she was not worried about rent until Dany got a job, but Dany would not take advantage of her only true friend. Missandei had gone to work, and Dany wandered around the house for a little while before deciding to take a walk. Borrowing a pair of Missandei’s rubber boots, she opened the front door and breathed in the snowy air. She determined to find a job and would not return until she did. She could be brave and independent no matter what they all said about her back home. She had allowed life to pass her by for far too long, being told what to do and how to do it, what clothes she should wear, and how she should act and what she should study. Dany pulled her coat tighter around her belly.

“Never again, sweetling,” She told the baby, “We will show them all.”

After her idiot brother had dropped out of law school and started traveling the world, on their father’s dime no less, the Targaryen household had looked to Dany to become the next lawyer and take over the family business, that is until she met a another nice lawyer to marry and run the family business, while she birthed little Targaryen heirs. Everyone in her life had sought to control her, no one had ever given her a choice. At eighteen, she had been afraid to stand up to her father, but the little life in her womb had somehow made her bold. Munching on one of the cookies Missandei had made, Dany explored the little main stretch of town. Wintertown was a quaint little place, she had never been anywhere like it. When her family took vacations, they typically went to more exotic locales, like Sunspear, or Braavos, or Volantis. She had never been to the North, and she found it a curious place… and cold. A “Now Hiring” sign hanging in the doorway of what looked like a souvenir shop drew her inside. Taking a chance, she went up to the man at the counter.

“May I speak with the manager? I am interested in the position that is open,” She asked the man.

He looked her up and down, his eyes zeroing in on her pregnant belly, “I’m the manager, and the position was filled this morning,” He said gruffly.

Dany pulled her coat closed. Somehow, she doubted his words, and had half a mind to tell him that according to her half a law degree he was discriminating against her because she was pregnant, but she had other things to do today.

Continuing on her way, she knew she could always go down to wherever the library was and apply for that position, but she felt strange using her friendship with Missandei to leverage a job. Her father always said that it was not about what you know but about who you know. She supposed that was a sad truth of life. She continued down the lane, smiling at people as she passed by. Finding another shop that had a “Now Hiring” sign in the window, Dany entered _Seaworth and Sons’ Hardware and Sporting Goods_. Looking around the small store, she spotted a middle-aged woman sitting behind the counter, reading a novel. She had salt and pepper hair and little glasses on a chain sitting on her nose. Dany imagined that this was what a proper mother must look like.

“Hello, my dear, is there something I can help you find?” the older woman asked pleasantly.

Dany pulled her coat tight, “I have just moved here and I’m looking for a job actually, I saw the sign in the window, and was curious…” Dany truly had no idea what she was doing.

“Very good, very good,” The woman came around the counter and eyed Dany, “How old are you? Surely not old enough to be working full time?”

Dany sighed, she got that quite a lot, because of how small she was people had a tendency to assume she was younger, “I’m twenty-four, and I have some college,” she scrambled to think of what else to say, “I’m a fast learner, and I’d do anything, sweep floors, scrub toilets, empty the trash…” She rambled, “And I’m good with people,” She was not sure this last statement was true but threw it in for good measure, as she had read somewhere that employers like to hear search things.

The older woman chuckled, “We’re looking for a full time clerk to work the counter on the week days, my youngest son works the counter on the weekends.”

Dany nodded.

“You won’t get rich working here, but you will manage, and though our benefits are not as good as a department store, we do offer medical and dental for full time employees."

“How many employees do you have?” Dany asked curiously.

“We have three repairmen that we send out to fix things, like heaters and leaky pipes, and they can also be hired for remodels, repainting and the like, then there is my husband, he manages the whole affair and repairs boats on the side, then as I mentioned there’s my son who works the weekend, and then there is me, and I do the book keeping. So we are hiring a clerk for the weekdays, and I’d eventually like to train that clerk to do the book keeping so I can retire from the family business,” The older lady grinned, and Dany decided that she liked her very much, “I’m Marya Seaworth, by the way.”

Dany shook her hand, “Daenerys Targaryen, pleased to meet you.”

“So what do you know about sporting goods and hardware?”

Dany flushed, “In fully honesty, ma’am, I can’t say I know much about either, I know a little about sailboats because my family used to sail on Blackwater Bay, but I don’t suppose there is much boating here.”

“There’s more than you might think, we have a lake nearby that tourists often visit.”

“I am truly a fast learner, I can learn anything,” Dany said swiftly.

Marya chuckled, “I imagine you could.”

* * *

Beaming with pride, Dany made her way back toward the cottage. She had her first job and it had been relatively painless to get. She would start the next day. She knew her mother and father would be appalled if they knew she was working in a hardware store, but that almost made it all the better. This was her life and what her mother and father wanted did not matter anymore. Closing the door to the cottage, Dany curled up on the sofa and shivered. Her next step to being a genuine adult was to make a doctor’s appointment. Her mother or her nanny had always made her appointments when she was child and through her teen years, and her mother had even made her first prenatal appointment. Sighing, Dany was not entirely sure how she had made it this far in life. Dialing the number to the Dr. Tyrell's office, she was not entirely sure what to ask for when the receptionist picked up.

“I need to b-book an appointment please?” She said trying to sound confident.

“Are you a current patient with us?”

“No, I’m new, I just moved to this area and I’m pregnant,” Dany explained in a rush.

“Do you have a preference of day and doctor?”

“The first available please,” Dany said, not fully registering the second half of the question.

The receptionist prattled off a date and time, and a few other extraneous details and Dany numbly agreed. The receptionist asked a few more questions regarding how far along Dany was, before finally confirming the appointment time for a roughly two weeks away.

“Be sure to bring your medical records, as you are so far along, Dr. Snow will want to see them,” said the receptionist.

 _Dr. Snow?_ Dany was about to ask who Dr. Snow was when the receptionist bid her good day. Medical Records? She had not thought to obtain her medical records from her doctor in King's Landing, she wondered how she would go about doing such a thing. Though she still had some unanswered questions, she was satisfied with her accomplishments today and so she sat the phone down and curled herself into a little ball on the sofa, holding her bump, as she fell asleep.

* * *

Dany and Missandei lay on Missandei’s big bed together staring up at the ceiling, having been reminiscing about their days in high school and now were quiet.

“I have a hard time picturing you working at a hardware store,” Missandei suddenly giggled.

Dany smacked her arm playfully, “Everyone has to start somewhere, and Marya Seaworth was lovely.”

“The Seaworth’s are great people, have you met Davos yet?”

“No, she said she would introduce me tomorrow when I come in for training. Should I be worried?” Dany furrowed her brow.

“No, Davos is great, you will love him,” Missandei assured.

“I’m a little nervous,” Dany confessed.

“Everyone is nervous on their first day at a new job,” Missandei patted her hand.

“I’m not really entirely sure what to wear,” Dany said.

“I have a pair of overalls you can borrow, though I think we’d have to roll up the pant legs,” Missandei giggled.

Dany laughed, “Would they fit over this?” She smoothed her hands over her belly.

“Yes, I think so, they are pretty loose,” Missandei looked at her.

Dany had an inkling of what she was thinking, “You can ask if it would make you feel better…”

Missandei looked at her, “I wasn’t trying to pry.”

“It really isn’t a big deal, it was just some guy.”

“You let just some guy get you pregnant?” Missandei asked, the words were straight forward but her tone was gentle.

Dany shifted in the bed, “You know what I’ve been like the last few years, since I left school.”

Missandei nodded. In truth Missandei knew the father of her child, but none of it mattered, she had no intention of ever seeing him again. She had cut all ties.

“I’m going to a party at Tormund’s Pub down the road on New Year’s Eve, if you want to come?” Missandei, blessedly, changed the subject.

“Sure, why not?” Dany said.

“There will be lots of people our age there as it is a pretty popular hangout.”

Nodding, Dany knew that if she were to truly make a life here, she could use some friends.

* * *

Music was blaring when Dany and Missandei entered the pub and found an empty table in the corner, from which they could observe better. It had been some time since she had been inside such an establishment, though she had frequented them often enough in King’s Landing. Her mother had been so ashamed that her daughter was pregnant with an illegitimate child that Dany had been practically under house arrest until she remembered that she was an adult that could do what she wanted. Still, it felt odd to frequent the same clubs she had before she had gotten pregnant. Tormund’s pub, however, was not like those soulless clubs, it had character and heart, and it was obvious that all its visitors enjoyed it and came here often. It seemed that most everyone knew each other. It reminded her of that television show about the pub where everyone knew each other’s name. She could not remember the title, but she thought she might like to be a regular here.

“It’s not usually so loud here,” Missandei said apologetically.

“It is New Years,” Dany said with a grin, “We’re celebrating.”

“Celebrating loudly.”

Dany chuckled and looked around the room. There… across the room… Dany’s eyes landed on a familiar face. She would always remember that mop of curls… Quickly, she looked away, pretending not to have seen him. The hot doctor was sitting at the bar not even fifty feet from her. She hoped he had not spotted her. After having been quite rude to him on the roadside, she was embarrassed. Perhaps it was her hormones, but he had seemed nice, and he was beautiful. Pre-pregnancy Dany would have marched over to him and demand that he dance with her. Pregnant Dany, however, felt a little less confident. She glanced at him again and thought perhaps that he was looking at her. Maybe he did not recognize her?

“Dany, these are my friends, Sam and Gilly,” Missandei drew her attention away from the hot doctor and to the couple that had approached their table, “Dany is one of my very oldest and dearest friends, she’s living with me now.”

Pleasantries were exchanged, and Dany was happy to make new acquaintances.

“Where are you from Dany?” Sam asked.

“King’s Landing.”

“What’s it like there?” asked Gilly.

Dany smiled, “Warmer.”

The table laughed.

“It’s good to have a new face around,” said Gilly, “I’m getting tired of all these old ones.”

Dany grinned.

“I suppose you don’t see much snow down south?” asked Sam.

“I can honestly say this is the most snow I’ve seen in my entire life,” Dany replied, “I feel like a wobbly baby cow trying to walk in it.”

Missandei was smiling triumphantly as the table laughed. Missandei would always be her strongest supporter, and Dany knew she wanted her to be happy here.

“Gilly and I work at the archive together,” Missandei explained, with a teasing smile, “You could have worked with us, if you hadn’t gotten in such a hurry.”

“I am quite fond of the Seaworth’s thank you very much, they’ve been very kind,” Dany said proudly. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the hot doctor drifting across the room.

“Jon!” Sam suddenly called, and the hot doctor’s head turned in their direction. _That’s right, his name was Jon_ , Dany chastised herself for having forgotten, but now he was walking toward them.

Dany looked down as he approached their table, he greeted each of them in turn before turning to her.

“Hello again,” He greeted with a sort of endearing half smile.

“Hello,” she said softly.

“Dany isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Do you two know each other?” asked Sam.

“Aye, we met on the roadside the other night,” Jon explained.

Missandei grinned between the two of them. Dany of course may have mentioned to Missandei that she had been rescued from her flat tire by a hot doctor on the roadside. Dany had not expected to see him again so soon… if ever. 

“How are you settling?” He asked, looking at her unflinchingly. He had a black eye tonight, but Dany was not sure she knew him well enough to ask what happened.

“I’m settling fine,” Dany replied, “I’ve already got a job.”

“Congratulations!”

“Tyrell alert, Jon,” Sam said cryptically and both Missandei and Dany looked to saw a lithe blue-eyed woman with honey color hair wafting toward their table.

Missandei suddenly took Dany’s hand in thrust it toward Jon, “You should dance with Dany, Jon, I brought her here hoping she would make new friends.”

Jon took a wary glance in the direction of the woman still approaching them, “I’ll dance if she wants too,” he offered his hand to her. 

Giving Missandei a look, Dany took Jon’s hand, trying to be the brash girl she had been only a few months ago… the only problem was everything had changed since then.

“Come on then,” Dany said and tugged him toward the dance where other were dancing vigorously to a lively tune, “Was that woman your ex?” She asked brusquely.

“No, we went to high school together, and we have a little difference of opinion,” said Jon.

As they got out on the dance floor, he seemed to hesitate to put his hands on her hips, as if he was afraid to touch her so close to her pregnant belly. She figured it probably bothered him that she was pregnant, but it did not matter, it was just a dance. She took his hands and placed them on her hips herself.

“It’s just a dance, I’m not asking you to marry me,” she snapped in annoyance. She knew she was damaged goods, and no one was going to want her like this, and she was fine with that, she had made her decision.

Jon looked a little surprised but otherwise unperturbed, “Are you always so mean to people who are trying to be friendly?”

She looked at their feet, a little ashamed. Maybe she was just a spoiled rich kid who had no business around nice people? The dance floor had pressed them a little closer together and Dany was uncomfortably aware that her little bump was brushing against his torso.

“You keep looking at your feet,” He said with a kind smile.

“I feel a little clumsy right now,” Dany confessed, and then she looked up at him with a deep breath, “And I’m sorry, I’m not a mean person, I swear!”

Jon laughed, “It’s okay.”

When a particularly rowdy individual nearly bumped into her, Jon’s hand slid to the small of her back protectively, and affectively bringing her body closer to his, but thwarting a collision.

“That’s just Theon, he’s a mess but mostly harmless,” Jon explained.

Dany nodded, feeling a little… well, feeling something from being pressed up against his body like this. When she could she put a little space between them as they continued to sway to the music.

“How old are you?” she asked curiously, if he was a doctor, he was bound to be a bit older.

“I’m 34,” Jon replied.

“Oh,” She said. He probably thought she was a child… not that it mattered what he thought…

“Where did you get a job?” He asked congenially.

“Seaworth and Sons,” Dany replied proudly.

“Davos is a dear friend of mine,” Jon grinned at her, “You’re not lifting things, are you?”

“No, I’m working the counter, and if I do well Marya will teach me to do the book keeping,” Dany said with excitement, though she imagined she was the only one in the world excited about bookkeeping, “I’m looking forward to it, I want to do something useful for once.”

She had spent most of her life being frivolous, but she had always been smart. She dropped out of law school for lack of passion, not lack of brains.

“I’m curious what brings a southerner this far north?” He asked, pressing closer to her once more, as the group on the dance floor closed in around them. She gnawed her lip for a moment as their bodies were pressed flush against one another again, and she was decidedly self-conscious about her sweet bump between them. She did not know this man.

“Is the north only for northerners?” She quipped and grimaced at her sharp tone. She did not know why she was compelled to be so rude to this poor man.

Jon grinned, “The north can be for anyone, but it is rather cold up here for a southern girl.”

Her cheeks flushed, “It is rather chilly, I’m thinking I need to get myself artic pajamas,” Dany felt her heart beating rather rapidly, and she could not decide if it was the crowd or his close proximity.

He laughed and looked down at her.

“How’s baby taking the move? Moving can be really stressful,” He asked kindly, but in what she could only describe as a professional tone.

“I think baby is fine,” Dany said, feeling a little odd talking to this strange beautiful man about her pregnancy while she was pressed up against him on a dance floor, “I think I felt a kick this morning.”

“That’s always exciting,” He said like someone who knows.

“Do you have kids?” She felt compelled to ask, suddenly wondering if he was single. She had to chastise herself for such thoughts, she had no business thinking about him in such a way in her condition… a man would not want her… at least not right now.

“No,” He said simply, “You still did not answer my question.”

“oh, yes,” she gnawed her lip wondering what she could say… that she ran away from home? That would truly make her look like a child, and besides it was far more complicated than that.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want too,” he offered.

“I just needed a change is all, with the baby coming,” She said, and it was mostly true.

He nodded in understanding, “I take it baby’s father is not in the picture?” He winced as he said as if he regretted asking and she felt herself stiffen.

“Not that it’s any of your business but no he’s not,” Dany said, “I’m fully capable of having this baby… this life on my own!”

She pulled away from him and they stared at each other.

He ran a hand through his hair, “I’m sorry, you’re right it’s none of my business, I’m not the best at talking to women…” after those words were uttered, he proceeded to laugh as if there was some joke in his words, “I guess that’s not exactly true, what I mean is…”

Dany frowned not sure how to interpret such a statement, “Thank you for the dance,” She stated sharply and marched off, leaving him floundering on the dance floor.


	5. Plumbing (Jon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So originally I did not intend to really get this story going until after TMHTW was finished, but for some reason the ideas for the story have really been flowing. Any way, here is the next little chapter. I hope everyone enjoys!
> 
> Thank you all for your kind comments and encouragement! You make my day!

The piercing wail from the mother, who had been relatively quiet birther thus far, was the first indication, but when the baby could not seem to get past crowning, it was confirmed. Baby was stuck.

“Take some deep breaths for me, Hilary, and then I want you to pant, don’t push,” Jon instructed calmly but the mother cried in alarm, “Baby is a little stuck, he just needs a little help.”

Hilary was Val’s patient, but Val was out of town today and so Jon was covering down for her.

“What?!” She screeched and then began to mutter something to her husband about not wanting forceps.

Jon frowned, he did not want her to panic, that would only make matters worse.

“Hilary, breathe,” Jon said calmly, “Baby needs you to breathe, we’re not to the point of needing forceps, but I need you to work with me, can you do that?”

Hilary nodded frantically.

“We’re going to get you on your hands and knees,” Jon said. Val did not approve of his methods, saying they were decidedly influenced by midwifery and cultural trends. Olenna, however, disagreed with Val. Jon looked at Hilary’s husband, “Your husband and I are going to help you turn over, getting in a different position may help baby out easier.”

Jon nodded at the stern look man, but they seemed to understand one another. The nurse did her best to keep Hilary calm, while all three of them maneuvered the laboring mother onto her hands and knees. Jon kept an eye on the fetal heart rate, it dipped slightly, but they were still alright. Once she was adjusted movement began again, and Jon breathed a covert sigh of relief. It still took some more pushes, but baby’s heart rate had normalized, and Hilary was now making the types of sounds that Jon took as a good sign when a mother was laboring. Once baby was delivered, nurses made sure he was alright, while Jon and the husband helped Hilary back onto her back so that she could hold her baby. Jon did not like how pale Hilary was, but as there did not seem to be any abnormal bleeding, he continued with procedure. When he was finished, he pulled the nurse aside and told her to watch Hilary like hawk and to call him if there were any concerns, before he washed his hands and smiled at the happy family, letting them know he would check in on them.

* * *

Jon left the Labor and Delivery Ward, and headed out of the hospital, he was technically off for the rest of the day, though he always kept his phone on him, and had promised to help Robb fix his plumbing. Robb was meeting him here at the hospital and they would go investigate his plumbing issues before making a trip to the hardware store. He was already waiting for him out front in his pickup truck.

“I half expected you to have more babies to deliver,” Robb chuckled as Jon got in the car.

“It looks promising that I won’t get called in the rest of the day,” Jon said. Olenna and Val had learned much better to balance their work and personal lives, Jon, however, still struggled at times with this balance.

“Good,” Robb said, “Because I have no idea what is wrong with my plumbing and something needs to be done.”

Jon laughed, “Not that either of us know anything about plumbing.”

“We’re both intelligent people, and you would be amazed at the information available on the internet,” said Robb.

“Why don’t you hire a professional?” Jon could not help but ask.

“Because I am not going to shell out a thousand dollars for something, I can fix myself,” Robb snapped, with a grin.

“Not every repair is going to be a thousand dollars,” Jon corrected.

“Whatever the case, I have full confidence in my abilities,” Robb stated. Robb’s full confidence in his own abilities had often gotten them into mischief as children.

“Is it just the toilet that is having issues?” Jon asked as they puttered down the road toward Robb’s little house near the high school. When they had graduated, Robb had originally intended to go into Business like Ned, but soon found it was not his calling, and pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. He now taught Government and Economics at their local high school, with a true passion for coaching soccer.

“It’s the whole bathroom, I don’t know what’s going on that’s why I needed assistance,” Robb explained.

They pulled up to Robb’s old house. The house was a small two-story structure, that looked more haunted than inhabited, but it was a historic house and Robb had loved it when he purchased it, claiming he would remodel it. If his plumbing issues were any indication, Robb had no idea how to remodel a house, but he was slowly but surely moving room to room and getting the house into some semblance of order. His more cosmetic projects, however, tended to be interrupted by more urgent problems… like the plumbing. Jon and Ned both had had doubts about the house, but Robb would not be swayed. Following Robb inside to the first floor bathroom, he tried to hide a smile when he saw Robb’s tools spread out all over the bathroom floor, a few empty cans of beer on the counter top, and everything else in utter disarray.

“Where do you want to start?” Jon asked.

“Probably the toilet, seeing as that is most needed,” Robb sighed, running a hand through his hair. Rolling up their sleeves, the two men set to work.

* * *

“I figured you had enough sense to turn the damn water off, when you are working on the plumbing,” Jon scolded as he and Robb stalked down the lane toward the hardware store after a ten minute argument on whether to walk or take the truck. Both were wet and both more than a little disgusted with the brown water that had unearthed itself from Robb’s pipes as they dismantled the toilet.

“I didn’t think it would come shooting out of the pipes like that!” Robb said in his defense. Jon and Robb passed a towel between them, because apparently Robb only possessed one clean towel, as they wiped the brown water off of them. Jon tried to tell himself that it was only mud, as there was obviously a problem with the outside contaminating Robb’s pipes.

“Dr. Snow, Mr. Stark,” a warm and amused voice greeted them before they reached the hardware store.

Both men turned to see Jeyne Westerling coming out of the local coffee shop, with a wide smile on her face as she studied them. They stopped, and she looked them up and down like she was inspecting two naughty little boys.

“What are you two doing out in this cold, in wet, muddy clothes?” Jeyne asked, “If no one else, I figured _you_ would know better,” She said to Jon in an accusatory tone.

“It’s his fault,” Jon pointed to Robb.

“It’s the house’s fault, it is working against me,” Robb retorted in a grumble.

Jeyne laughed, “Any body who knows anything, could have told you that old place was haunted and had a mind of its very own.”

“Very funny,” Robb said.

“We’re going to the hardware store, to pick up some parts,” Jon explained.

“And do you two stellar intellectuals know anything about toilet parts?” She asked with a smirk.

“The internet is full of information,” said Robb.

“I’m sure,” Jeyne chortled, “If you need some help, I’d be happy to, I strangely have some experience repairing toilets.”

“How would you…?” Robb started to ask, but Jeyne interrupted him.

“Be careful what the next words out of your mouth are Robb Stark,” She smirked, “Just because I am female, doesn’t mean that I know less then two spoiled rich kids about plumbing.”

“Fair enough,” Robb conceded with a grin.

Jon looked between the two of them, “Want to come with us to the hardware store?”

Jeyne gave him a sharp look, but Robb seemed as oblivious as ever.

“Yeah, you should come, you’d be more help than him,” Robb indicated Jon, making Jon shake his head.

“Very well then, but both of you owe me,” She said with a smirk as she pulled her coat tighter.

“It’s his bathroom,” Jon playfully grumbled.

“Well, you can stand to be a little less demanding at work,” Jeyne teased right back.

“I’m very pleasant to work with,” Jon argued.

“Mhmm,” Jeyne smirked, and they continued up the street toward the hardware store, “Just so you know, that new little nurse, Roslyn, is terrified of you.”

“I don’t even know a Roslyn,” Jon protested.

Robb snorted with laughter, “Jon does not know how to talk to a woman unless he is taking their medical history or telling them to push.”

Jon glared at Robb.

“Anyway, I thought Roslyn, was half in love with you when she first saw you, but now she is terrified of beautiful Dr. Snow,” Jeyne laughed.

“What did I ever do to her?” Jon snorted as they were nearly upon the hardware store.

“You yelled at her on her first day,” Jeyne informed.

That did not sound like him, Jon was not a yeller by nature… Then he had a flash of memory of a particularly difficult birth a few weeks ago, attended by a very young nurse that he had not been acquainted with.

He sighed, “I suppose I did yell at her, I should have apologized after, it’s not like me…”

“No, it isn’t,” Jeyne said, “And I know that, but she doesn’t, poor thing.”

“I’ll apologize,” Jon said.

“You can’t apologize now, she’ll know we’ve been talking about her!” Jeyne protested as they reached the hardware store and Jon opened the door.

“Well, why did you tell me, if you didn’t want me to apologize?”

“Just to keep you on your toes, remind you that nurses are people too,” Jeyne grinned, and walked into the hardware store, in front of Robb and Jon followed them in.

They were greeted by a cheerful voice and Jon’s eyes were immediately drawn to the little blonde woman behind the counter, with those big violet eyes. He had forgotten this newcomer had taken a job here. She had her platinum blonde hair braided into two braids with a little red bandana tied around her head, and she was wearing overalls, which showed her little bump. He could not help but smile at how cute she was, and at how out of her element she looked. When she saw him, however, she frowned and looked decidedly embarrassed. Their last encountered had ended poorly.

“Hello, how can I help you?” She asked, seeming to decide that she would ignore their acquaintance.

Robb prattled off some parts he needed, and Jeyne corrected a few of them.

“Definitely, let me check the computer and see if we have those in stock,” Dany said in a chipper voice.

Jon wondered when Davos and Marya had started using a computer to keep track of stock. Dany started to type away on the computer, and from his angle he could just see a part of her computer screen which was hidden from Jeyne and Robb. To his amusement, he saw her googling images of the parts Robb asked for, and he had to bite back a laugh. She glared at him and he bit his tongue. Flawlessly, Dany kept up her funny little charade and led them toward the plumbing section, pointing out the parts.

“I’ll leave you to browse, please let me know if you need any further assistance,” She said in a very professional tone.

While Robb and Jeyne started to fuss with each other like an old married couple about the merits of one type of pipe over another, Jon left them and followed Dany to the counter.

“Did you need help finding something?” She asked with a cordial smile, and a wrinkle of her nose.

“No, no, I was actually going to ask if Marya or Davos were in,” Jon said.

“Davos is out with the lads doing a repair job, and Marya is having her lunch,” Dany said simply. Jon smiled. _Lads_ was a very Davos word to use, and he highly doubted Dany, being from the south, had ever used the word before.

“I did not realize Davos and Marya had started using an electronic cataloguing system for their stock,” Jon could not help but tease.

Dany turned up her nose, “You know very well what I did, you could see my screen.”

“I’m sorry,” Jon chuckled, “I was impressed is all, you have great customer service skills, those two did not know the difference.”

She looked at him and wrinkled her nose again.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“You smell bad,” She said and rested her hand on her bump.

“Oh, sorry, are you still feeling nauseous? It doesn’t always end with your first trimester, a lot of women experience it throughout pregnancy,” Jon asked, turning professional, maybe Robb was right? Maybe he truly did not know how to speak to a woman unless he was their doctor?

She chuckled, “Thank you, doctor, but I’m fine, and so is the baby, but we appreciate your concern. But you really do stink.”

Jon sighed, “Yeah, we had a plumbing mishap with a toilet.”

She laughed, a really adorable laugh, “That explains it.”

“Yes, I suppose it does,” Jon said.

She went back to organizing the stack of papers she had been organizing when they entered. Jon watched her for a few minutes, as she stole glances at him out of the corner of her eye.

“Is there something you want?” She finally asked.

“I’m actually trying to give those two a little time alone,” Jon explained with a smile.

Dany looked over at them, and grinned at him, “So you’re playing matchmaker?”

“Most definitely,” Jon said, “Though I’m afraid I’m not very good at it, I think Jeyne is on to me.”

“You probably should leave well enough alone,” said Dany, though she smiled at the couple across the store once more, “No good ever comes of matchmaking.”

“Only if it fails,” Jon said.

“And do you have much experience matchmaking?”

“This would be my first endeavor,” Jon admitted as he leaned against the counter.

She rolled her eyes, but she had a hidden smile at the corner of her mouth, “Well I highly doubt your two friends would appreciate meddling.”

“He’s my cousin.”

“I highly doubt your cousin would appreciate you meddling,” Dany reiterated.

“What if he doesn’t know what’s right in front of him?” Jon asked.

“Well, maybe he doesn’t deserve to have his eyes opened then,” Dany stated firmly.

“I just want him to be happy,” Jon replied.

“Everyone just wants their family to be happy,” Dany said with a sigh, “But falling in love very rarely makes anyone happy.”

Jon studied her, glancing down at her bump, before deciding not to comment. He was curious about her, he had to admit. He wondered how a young woman, obviously having been well off, and definitively southern, and pregnant ended up alone this far north. He did not feel it was his place to ask, but he was curious.

“Not for a good love story then?” He asked instead with a teasing smirk.

She rolled her eyes, “I take it you are?”

Jon shrugged, “I don’t know maybe, I do know I want Robb to be happy and I think Jeyne deserves a good man who values her and respects her.”

Dany said nothing to this, and before he could say anything else his phone went off.

“I’m sorry, it looks like I need to take a look at this,” Jon apologized before stepping away from the counter. She looked a little relieved to see him go, so he supposed it was not a major loss. One of his patient’s needed him to stop by, and so Jon quickly typed some instructions for the nurse to perform until he got there. If it was not dire, he would definitely need to grab a quick shower once he got there.

“Robb, Jeyne, I need to run by the hospital, I’ll meet you both back at the house,” He called to them, and they waved him off, thoroughly unsurprised. He turned back to Dany, “It was nice to see you again, Dany.”

She smiled at him briefly, “Have a good day, Jon.”

With that he dashed away and down the road to the hospital.

* * *

A few days later, Jon was at the clinic. While he much preferred delivering babies, a calm day in office was occasionally a nice change of pace. There were some days when he bounced back and forth between the hospital and the clinic but today was not such a day. He was thankful for the calm and routine of prenatal appointments, annual exams, and charting. He sat at his desk, going over a few notes from his last patient, and tried to keep out of eyesight of their business office manager… Margaery Tyrell.

“Hello,” Sansa’s voice startled him out of his thoughts.

He looked up and smiled at his cousin, “You in for your appointment with Olenna?”

“Yes, your dear new nurse wanted to escort me back after doing my weight and pressure, but I told her I was very familiar with the routine,” Sansa said.

Jon stood and gave her a quick hug, while also remaining behind his pillar to hide himself from view. Margaery always sought him out at least once a day, to chat with him, but he had managed to avoid her today.

“You still hiding from Margaery?” Sansa chuckled.

“Yes, if you must know,” Jon said, “She likes to ambush me when I’m at my desk.”

Sansa laughed, “She’s not all bad you know?”

“I know, she is a very capable business manager,” Jon conceded which only made Sansa laugh more.

“That’s a very generous concession,” Sansa smiled.

“Here’s your next chart, doctor,” said a nurse as she passed by his desk, “Patient is in room four.”

Jon took the chart, “Thank you.”

“I should let you get to work, and I should go wait for Dr. Olenna, but I just wanted to say hi.”

“Thanks, have fun,” Jon grinned.

“Funny,” Sansa smirked as she headed down the hall.

Jon looked down at the chart in his hand and started toward room four. There was not much on the chart, except for vitals. This was a new patient… she was already past four months along… He frowned and wandered who had been taking care of her previously, as he did not see any medical records attached.

“Daenerys Targaryen,” Jon tested the name on his tongue, wandering if he was pronouncing it correctly and was fairly certain he was not. It was a southern name…

He knocked on the door to Room #4, and when a small, scared voice said, “Come in…” he opened the door, and nearly stopped in his tracks, as the pieces fell into place…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Dany and Dr. Snow (Dany POV)
> 
> *Note: I know nothing about birth or plumbing, haha


	6. Room 4 (Dany)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next little bit! I hope everyone enjoys!
> 
> Thank you for you kind comments for reading! I appreciate you!

Dany thought about her encounter with hot Dr. Jon at the hardware store for far longer than she was willing to admit to anyone. She was not prone to mindless infatuations and so she attributed the intrusive thoughts to her wild pregnancy hormones, and the fact that he was one of the more beautiful men she had ever seen… and to the fact that she had been inundating herself with Missandei’s plentiful collection of romantic movies over the last couple of nights. She had just finished such a film at this very moment. 

“What’s on your mind?” said Missandei, as she sat a bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table and curled up next to Dany on the sofa.

“That I need some artic pajamas,” Dany said evasively as she shivered.

Missandei offered her the other end of her blanket.

Smiling gratefully, Dany accepted it.

“I have to go out of town on a business trip in a couple weeks,” Missandei said, “We’re acquiring a substantial record collection on the War of the Five Kings for the archives. Will you be alright here by yourself?”

“Of course,” Dany said with self-assurance. She was an adult… wasn’t she?

Missandei did not look quite convinced, but she did not argue, “I’ll leave some numbers for you in case of an emergency.”

“Missandei, there isn’t going to be any emergencies, I’ll be fine,” Dany assured, “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of my own self.”

Missandei frowned, “You are not going to eat popcorn every night for dinner while I’m gone?” she teased.

“I’ll cook,” Dany said flatly which caused Missandei to laugh.

“You’ll cook?” Missandei asked doubtfully.

“Sure.”

“You won’t burn my house down will you?” Missandei giggled.

“Have you so little faith in me?” Dany teased.

“Only your ability to operate my stove,” Missandei replied.

It was, in fact, true, that Dany had struggled only this morning to light Missandei’s stove… it was an old gas stove, that had rather befuddled her as she tried to make some eggs.

“I’ll make sandwiches,” Dany conceded with a chuckle.

“Did you get a doctor’s appointment made?” Missandei asked.

“Yes, mom, for tomorrow,” Dany laughed.

“Just making sure,” Missandei chortled as she opened a book.

Dany yawned and laid her head on the arm of the sofa.

“You don’t have to stay down here and entertain me, if you're sleepy,” Missandei smiled.

“This baby wears me out,” Dany said rubbing her belly over her satin pajamas, “I used to be able to stay out all night, and now it hits eight and I’m ready for bed.”

Missandei nudged her with her foot, “Go to bed.”

“Fine,” Dany got up and gathered her pillow and blanket.

“So, no shenanigans while I’m gone?” Missandei poked with a laughing smile.

“I have left my shenanigans behind in King’s Landing, I swear it,” Dany said with solemnly, “By the old gods and the new.”

Dany climbed the stairs to her room and looked at the empty baby room. She wondered when she should start looking into baby things. What did a baby need anyway? Bottles, blankets, a bed… Dany shook her head and tried not to be overwhelmed by the enormity of it all, and what she was trying to do. Ignoring her mounting issues for another night, Dany got in her own bed and stared up at the ceiling. She tossed and turned for a little while, hugging her numerous pillows. A small part of her missed her parents, and the ease that had surrounded her life in King’s Landing. She had so few worries then, she had not even had to clean her own room… they had maids for those types of things. Then she remembered the emptiness, the loneliness that had accompanied that life, and her shallow endeavors to feel something real and genuine... to feel useful. Until she had gotten pregnant, she had not given a second thought to her future or to what she really wanted out of life… but when she had seen that positive pregnancy test something inside her had begun to stir until it finally snapped and she left. She was twenty-four and had done so little in her life… she knew she had to live on her own terms if she was going to bring this baby into the world and so she had fled. Still, she was not convinced it was the right decision. Was it right to go so far from home with only her one friend for support when she was about to have a baby? She could do this right? Turning on her other side, she tried to distract her thoughts. A roaring ambulance passed by their house on its way to the hospital. An alluring distraction swam into her consciousness… dark hair and grey eyes, holding some trauma victim's life in his hands… such a distraction caused feelings and hormones to swirl in her muddled head as sleep took her.

* * *

Dany paced the exam room. Doctor’s offices always made her feel squeamish. After she peed in an outrageously small cup, she was led to the room and left to her own devices to await Dr. Snow. She knew nothing about this doctor and was berating herself for not having insisted on seeing Dr. Tyrell. She had not gotten her medical records either, and was not sure how to go about getting them from her previous OB/GYN in King’s Landing. Maybe she really was just a stupid little girl running away from home? Her father had said as much the day she left. Maybe if she left now, she could just go have her baby out in the wilderness somewhere and live in a little cabin away from the world? With her luck, she would freeze to death before she got down main street, and besides, what kind of life would there be for a child in a hermitage? Shaking her head at herself, she sat back down in the chair. Was she supposed to sit on the exam table? She was not sure of the proper etiquette. With her OB/GYN in King’s Landing she had always sat on the exam table, but was that only because her mother was always sitting in the provided chair? She was ashamed to admit that she had never been to the doctor alone.

“Pathetic, Dany, absolutely pathetic,” She chastised herself with a sigh. How could she ever be an adult with so little experience?

A knock came to the door, startling her out of her thoughts, and she felt her heart beat a little faster. “Come in,” She called out in a small voice.

The door opened and Dany looked up. _Oh…. Oh, no…._

Dany stood to her feet anxiously and stared. Hot Dr. Jon?

He stared back at her for a couple of seconds.

“Um, hello,” She said not sounding at all casual and hated her high pitch tone. She grimaced at herself. What was hot Dr. Jon doing here of all places?

He continued to look at her, as if he could not comprehend why this crazy, pregnant woman was in his exam room either. She wanted to sink into the floor and disappear forever. How could hot Dr. Jon, also be Dr. Snow, OB/GYN? She had never learned his last name. A thousand thoughts raced through her brain, as she recalled her rather… amorous thoughts she had had regarding him last night. 

He took a step inside the room and shut the door, and Dany took a step back, knocking over a cannister of some nebulous medical supplies on the countertop. She righted the cannister and then put her hands behind her back, so she did not collide with anything else. Did she want a male obstetrician? Particularly did she want this especially nice-looking male obstetrician seeing her at her most vulnerable?

“Have a seat,” He said with an envious sort of ease, “Dany isn’t it?”

He very well knew her name… but she supposed she deserved it.

“Um, yeah, yes, Dany, my full name is Daenerys Targaryen,” She fidgeted with her hands.

Smiling a very kind and professional smile, obviously practiced to put her at ease, Jon sat down on the little doctor’s stool.

She sat down in the chair and looked at him.

He glanced over her chart, “How are you feeling today?”

“Fine,” She said simply.

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to fill in some gaps for me, as there’s not much information on your chart,” He said it like he was indulging a child, and she felt ashamed for not being responsible enough to procure her medical records before this appointment.

“I’m working on getting my medical records sent up here,” She explained… it was the truth to some extent, albeit she had not put forth much action behind it.

He nodded, “Nearly twenty weeks along?”

“Yes,” Dany said putting a hand on her little bump.

“Halfway there,” He smiled that easy smile again. Seeming like he was not going to acknowledge their short-lived acquaintanceship, Jon continued on down his list of questions as he took her medical history. He asked about her father, and then about her mother and she confessed with a gulp, her mother’s long history of miscarriages. Jon typed it all up in his little computer.

“When was your last menstrual period?” Jon asked nonchalantly.

She frowned at him, “Well, obviously before this…” She indicated her bump, then bit her tongue. Why did she feel the need to be so snarky whenever she felt nervous? Perhaps it was some sort of psychotic reaction? A mechanism of self-preservation maybe?

Jon was not phased, “I want to get a little more accurate dating here, I’d like a little better than _around 20 weeks_ , and since I don’t have your medical records, I need to ask these questions.”

She nodded… she deserved that reprimand, she supposed. Pulling out her phone, she looked at the last time she had tracked her cycle and told him. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

“Are you…” He started to ask another question, but Dany’s nerves got the better of her.

“I didn’t know it was you!” She blurted.

He blinked at her.

“I didn’t know it was you,” She reiterated, “I thought I was making an appointment with Dr. Tyrell, and I called the office and they put me down with Dr. Snow, and I didn’t know what to do so I just agreed, and I didn’t know it was you!”

He grinned slightly, “I know we got off on the wrong foot… Which was not my fault, I might add… but it doesn’t mean we can’t have a professional relationship.”

She felt like a deer caught in headlights, “I just didn’t know it was you…”

“Well, you’re certainly within your rights to choose another doctor…” He started.

“No, I’m sorry, that’s not what I mean necessarily,” Dany tried, “I just don’t want you to think that I’m stalking you or that I did this on purpose or something.”

He looked a little like he was trying not to laugh, and she wanted to smack him for it.

“I don’t know the first thing about any of this, and I feel lost and maybe a little foolish, and well, I just thought I was making an appointment with Olenna Tyrell, and I was taken off guard, I thought you were a trauma surgeon, and I’ve never had a male doctor taking care of my lady bits…” She could not seem to shut up, and she inwardly cursed herself.

His eyes softened further if that were possible, and he chuckled good naturedly.

Dany crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him, though she felt a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips with how ridiculous she must sound.

“It’s not funny,” She chastised.

“You thought I was a trauma surgeon?” He asked with a smirk, and she saw the mask of professionalism drop for a moment.

“You look like how a trauma surgeon would look, not an OB/GYN,” She said.

He was still grinning, “And just how are OB/GYN’s supposed to look?”

Awkwardly, Dany looked at her feet, “I don’t know… like wrinkly old ladies?”

Jon laughed outright at that. He had a pretty smile, she thought, and had to tell her hormones to calm down.

Feeling thoroughly embarrassed, Dany stood, “I’m sorry for all the confusion, I’ll go…”

“Dany, wait,” He said kindly but firmly, “How about I complete your intake today, and get your initial exam taken care of since you are here, and then if you want to look into switching to Olenna, I can share my notes with her, and there will be no harm done… that way your trip won’t be wasted, and we can make sure baby is alright.”

Dany sat back down and looked at him, “I suppose that’s reasonable.”

“Good,” Jon said, turning back into the professional doctor that he was, “Your blood pressure was a little high when the nurse took it, and so I’m going to take it again.”

“Okay,” She said softly as he wrapped a cuff around her arm and pumped it up. They were quiet for a few moments, until he was done.

“Still a little high, did it run high before?” Jon asked.

“I get nervous when I go to the doctor,” Dany confessed.

Jon nodded, “We will keep an eye on it,” He made a note in her chart, “And did you have your pelvic exam and initial tests done at one of your prior prenatal visits?”

“Yes,” Dany said.

“It would be of great help if we could get those records,” Jon reiterated.

“I will work on it,” Dany promised.

“Good,” He smiled at her.

For awhile he talked to her about her health and her baby’s development and the changes she could expect to her body. He was passionate about what he did, of that she was certain. Obviously, she knew there were male OB/GYNs, but she supposed she had never really given it much thought. The only other OB/GYN she knew was the old woman her mother saw in King’s Landing, whom she had seen for her first few prenatal appointments before coming north. The old woman had been decidedly old fashioned and had been rather straightforwardly disapproving of Dany’s unwed state and unplanned pregnancy.

“I know it may be a delicate topic,” Jon started hesitantly, “But do you know anything about the father’s medical history.”

Feeling somewhat ashamed, Dany shook her head. In the wealthy social circles in which she had grown up, having a baby out of wedlock was reason enough to be socially ostracized… not that Dany had been the most socially acceptable since dropping out of law school.

“Its not that I just jumped into bed with a random stranger,” She said, somewhat defensively, “I did know him.”

Jon looked at her with a sort of kindness, that made her swallow down some raw emotions.

“He didn’t want the baby,” She confessed.

Some unnamable emotions flickered briefly across Jon’s eyes, “Well, I know you will see to it that this baby always feels wanted and loved.”

She smiled.

Jon pressed the button on the wall for a nurse, “Can you hop up on the exam table for me? I’m going to do a quick exam to check for any pain or swelling, and then I’m going to measure your fundal height.”

“My what?” She asked, as she got herself up on the table.

He chuckled as he washed his hands and put on gloves, “I’m going to measure your belly from the top of your uterus to the top of your pubic bone to see how baby is progressing.”

The nurse appeared a minute later and stood quietly to Jon’s side. Dany lay there quietly as Jon took her measurement, and then did a few palpations on her belly. She felt so out of her element and did not even know what kind of questions to ask. He spoke kindly to her, and explained what the measurement meant, and what he was feeling for.

“The last thing we need to do is listen to baby’s heart beat,” He said, and the nurse handed him something called a doppler and when he pressed it to her belly, they could hear the heartbeat.

She smiled.

“There’s baby,” Jon smiled beautifully at her and her heart did an unwelcome little flip, “Happy and healthy, before you leave you’ll want to get on the schedule in the next week or two for your full anatomy ultrasound.” 

Dany nodded, and he helped her sit up.

Jon inclined his head to the nurse, and she left the room, “We’re all done for today. Do you have any questions or concerns?”

Dany shook her head, “I don’t really know…”

Jon nodded, “Well, if you do later, you have the office line, there is a nurse on call that can answer any questions even if they seem trivial, because your needs are not trivial.”

“Okay,” She said softly.

“And whether or not you come back to see me or Dr. Tyrell, I want you to consider taking a prenatal and birthing class,” He pulled out some brochures from the drawer in the counter, “It may not seem important right now, but I’ve seen it make a huge difference, especially for first time mothers. A large part of giving birth is conquering fear.”

Dany nodded at kind doctor Jon and felt embarrassment on her own behalf over her objectification of him. He was not just some hot doctor. He was a real person. The type of person she had hoped existed in this frozen tundra with her friend Missandei.

He handed her the brochures.

“Thank you, Dr. Snow.”

“Come on, I can walk you to the front,” He said with another kind smile, and held the door open for her.

She walked beside him toward the front of the clinic, and she peeked at him out of the corner of her eye and found him doing the same. They both chuckled awkwardly and looked ahead.

“How’s your matchmaking endeavors?” She asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.

“Proceeding as planned,” He said with a grin, “They spent the whole day together fixing Robb’s plumping, apparently Jeyne had done some house flipping with her late father, and even participated in remodeling her own home.”

“She’d probably be better employed than me at the Seaworth’s,” Dany chuckled self-deprecatingly.

“She’s actually a labor and delivery nurse at the hospital,” Jon explained.

“Oh,” was all Dany could say.

“Any way, my plot is to get her to help Robb remodel the haunted house he lives in.”

Dany giggled, “Plumping and paint swatches are an excellent foundation for lasting love.”

“I thought so,” Jon said, as he stuck his hands in the pockets of his white coat.

They arrived at the door that led back out to the waiting area, and they turned and faced each other. They looked at each other for a few minutes and just as Dany was beginning to fidget, they were interrupted.

“Jon,” A pregnant woman with long red hair and big blue eyes called out him.

“Sans,” Jon smiled.

The woman looked between the two of them.

“Dany, this is my cousin Sansa, Robb’s sister actually,” Jon introduced them.

“Nice to meet you,” Sansa said pleasantly.

“Nice to meet you,” Dany echoed.

“So you know Robb?” Sansa asked.

“Not really,” Dany replied, “We met briefly the other day at the hardware store… I work there…”

“She is now included on my plot to unite Jeyne and Robb,” Jon said.

Sansa laughed, “Those two hopeless fools, or rather Robb is the hopeless fool, always looking in every which way instead of at what is right in front of him.”

They all laughed in amusement.

“Sans,” Jon grinned almost mischievously at Dany, “Dany is looking for a birthing class to go to, I know you were planning on going to one soon…”

Dany looked at Jon in alarm.

“Oh, yeah?” Sansa said and pulled out a piece of paper, and Dany recognized it was one of the same brochures that Jon had given her. She supposed in a place as small as Wintertown there were only so many options for birthing classes. Sansa wrote a number down on the brochure and handed it to Dany, “If you want to join the one I’m going to here is the brochure and my telephone number, we can meet up there if you’d like?”

“Thank you, I… I… just might do that…” was all Dany could seem to say, she had rarely experienced so many genuinely kind people in one place before.

“Good,” Sansa grinned.

“Well, I will see you both around then,” Jon said as he opened the office door for them, “Be careful and take your vitamins.”

Sansa laughed and Dany smiled as they exited the building, leaving Jon watching them as they went.

* * *

Dany returned to work after her appointment and Marya grinned at her and stood from her stool at the counter.

“And how’s our wee one coming along?” Marya asked, touching Dany’s belly affectionately, as older women were prone to do, “What doctor did you see if you don’t mind my asking?”

“Well, I intended to see Dr. Tyrell, but through my own fault, I actually ended up with Dr. Snow.”

“Oh, Jon! He’s a wonderful doctor!” Marya exclaimed. Dany had forgotten how small this town was, and the fact that Jon had mentioned knowing the Seaworth’s, “Dr. Tyrell is the most popular OB in this region by far, but Jon is a hidden treasure, he delivered one of my grandbabies about a year ago, and was the best OB I’ve ever seen in practice, and with seven kids of my own, I’ve seen quite a few.”

Dany smiled, not sure what to say. She intended to switch to Dr. Tyrell, nothing against Jon, but she did not know if she wanted a man delivering her baby. Perhaps that made her sexist? She did not know. Further, she did not know that she could continue to see Jon and be able to keep her less than appropriate thoughts under control.

“When the day is over, my dear, I want you to come home and have dinner with me and Davos and the lads,” Marya said, patting her hand, “I want to make sure that baby is getting properly bulked up.”

Dany smiled softly, “Thank you, I would enjoy that very much.”


	7. Empty Apartment (Jon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next little bit. I'm sorry if there are a lot of typos, I proofread while I was half asleep. 
> 
> I hope everyone enjoys! Thank you for reading and for your lovely comments!

“I brought you some lunch,” Sansa approached his desk. Jon looked up and smiled at her.

“Thank you, but you did not have to come all this way to do that,” Jon stood and gave her a hug.

“I was coming anyway,” Sansa replied.

“You just had your appointment last week, is everything alright?” Jon asked concern shooting through him.

Sansa’s face was a little pale, “Nothing to worry about, I just had a little spotting that’s all.”

“Did you see Olenna? Is everything okay? Do you need me to order an ultrasound?” Jon asked in succession.

Smiling, Sansa patted his chest, “Yes, I saw Olenna, yes, it seems that everything is okay, and no, you don’t need to order an ultrasound,” Then she looked at him, and he could see tears welling in her eyes.

Jon wrapped his arms around her.

“I just wish Pod was here,” She whispered.

“I know,” Jon said.

“I get so anxious sometimes for him and for the baby,” She confessed.

“Your baby is in good hands,” Jon tried to assure, “And we all want Pod home too, but I hope you know that you are not alone. If Pod does not make it back in time for the birth, I can even come be your support person, I can be that overbearing dad and boss Olenna and the nurses around and make sure everything goes according to plan.”

Sansa chuckled, “It’s alright, Jon, Pod’s going to be back, but if he’s not, Mom is going to be there. You’re too used to being the doctor in the delivery room anyway.”

Chuckling, Jon nodded, though it stung a bit to hear that she thought perhaps he would not be quite as good in a supportive role rather than his doctoring role. He knew that was not what she meant, but it was hard not to take such an idea to heart. He did struggle to relate to people outside of his role as a doctor, having never seen himself as particularly charming or good with people in general. Being a doctor was who he was and sometimes it encompassed his entire life to the point that he thought he was nothing else.

“Now, eat your lunch,” Sansa commanded kindly, “I don’t like to hear that you work all day long and forget to eat.”

“Thank you, Sans.”

She turned to leave, but than turned back to him, “Oh, I was going to tell you, your friend, or is she your patient? Dany, I am working on her to come to birthing class with me. I spoke to her on the phone yesterday, and she seems really nice, but maybe a little shy of strangers.”

“Thanks, Sans,” Jon said, in truth, he was not sure if Dany was his patient anymore or not. He had tried to actively avoid her while she made the decision. He knew many women preferred to have their babies delivered by women, and he did understand that sentiment, and did not want her to feel pressure to choose him as her doctor, “If I see her again, I’ll try to encourage her too.”

“Are you coming to dinner on Friday at Mom and Dad’s?” Sansa asked.

“Was planning too, as long as no emergencies crop up,” Jon said as he took a bite of the sandwich Sansa had brought to him.

“Good, I worry about you sometimes all alone up at your apartment, and killing yourself with work,” Sansa said.

“I’m not killing myself with work,” Jon protested.

She smiled sweetly at him as if she were indulging a child, “I just wish you remember sometimes that you have value as you, not just as a doctor. I want you to be happy.”

She kissed his cheek and bid him goodbye. He stared after her. Was he happy? What did he have if he did not have his work? He worked hard to get where he was today, and yes, maybe he did let it define him, but was it so bad a thing to be defined by? He helped bring new life into the world, he considered that a profound and important job.

“The Starks are the sweetest,” said a voice behind him as Sansa walked away.

Jon groaned inwardly.

“I just love Sansa, I always have.”

Jon turned to face Margaery Tyrell.

“Does she know yet when Podrick will be back?” Margaery asked, though Jon had yet to say anything.

“No,” He said simply.

They had all known each other in high school, him and Robb and Jeyne and Margaery and Sansa, but until he became a doctor, Jon could not remember ever once having had a conversation with the pretty, uninhibited, and popular Margaery Tyrell.

Margaery put her hand on Jon’s shoulder giving it a squeeze, “You are always so tense, Jon Snow, you need to relax.”

“So, everyone keeps telling me,” said Jon with disinterest.

“Why don’t you let me take you out for drinks tonight after work? We can just stop by Tormund’s pub, and sit for a while,” Margaery said suggestively.

“Thanks, Margaery, but I am going to help Robb with his house.”

“Robb and his house, that boy loves a good project, doesn’t he?” Margaery sniffed derisively.

“I suppose,” Jon replied.

“Well perhaps a raincheck then on those drinks?” Margaery said with a toss of her honey colored hair.

“Um…” He tried to think of a way to evade the question, but his wretched tongue was failing him, “I don’t really drink that often, I like to keep a clear head.”

“Coffee then? Tormund serves coffee as much as whiskey,” Margaery giggled.

“Maybe,” Jon caught sight of his nurse making eye contact with him, “I think my next patient is here.”

Margaery chuckled, “I will get you to have drinks with me one day, Jon.”

* * *

After work, Jon had gone to Robb’s to see Jeyne Westerling’s car in the drive, and when he walked up the steps, he heard them laughing together. Not wanting to interrupt what he intended to be a budding romance, Jon turned and went home. Ghost greeted him at the door of his empty apartment, and Jon went inside and changed clothes. The apartment was cool and clean, and looked relatively untouched as if frozen in time, as if no one lived here at all. He and Ghost rarely did more than sleep here. Often if Jon was off, he took Ghost and spent his days with Robb or the other Starks, or his friend Sam. The apartment was close to the hospital and that was why he had purchased it in the first place. Not that it was not beautiful, it was a historic building with fine crafted architecture and well maintained. Jon liked the apartment, but he did not have the motivation to make it feel like a home… he was not even sure what making a home felt like… Since he graduated high school, and began the path toward his career, he had always lived a rather transient life. Shuffling from one apartment to another, living in spare rooms, or garage apartments, or whatever he could afford until he finally graduated and made it through his residency. Sighing, Jon set his mail down on the marble countertop, and looked down at Ghost who was staring at him expectedly.

He was famished, and Ghost needed a walk. What he really wanted was a hamburger from the food truck down the road, the food truck that Margaery Tyrell had openly scorned only a few weeks ago in the office.

“We don’t need Margaery Tyrell to approve of our food truck, do we?” Jon asked Ghost as they headed toward the door. When he made it to the bottom of the stairs, he paused in the entry way of the building. Jon had to walk past Seaworth’s Hardware anytime he wanted to migrate from his apartment to his food truck with Ghost. He was not entirely sure how he felt about this venture, considering Daenerys sat the counter every day. Since her appointment with him, he had made a very conscious decision to avoid her until she decided who her health care provider would be. Her appointment had been a week ago, and thus far she had not reappeared on his schedule book. Now he stood at the bottom of the flight of stairs that led up to his apartment, with Ghost beside him. Ghost wanted a hotdog, and Jon wanted a hamburger, and this had been their ritual about once a week for the last few years since Jon returned North to set up practice.

“She’s just a girl,” Jon said to Ghost, and Ghost looked up at him quizzically, “A pretty girl, but nonetheless, I see women all the time and it’s not a big deal.”

Ghost continued to stare at him.

The Seaworth’s shop would be closed soon, and so maybe she would be gone before he took his walk if he just delayed a little while longer. His stomach growled. Perhaps he was being ridiculous? Yes, he had been thrown off by her appearance in his exam room last week, but that did not mean anything. She had been just as flustered as he felt. He did not even know this woman and yet there seemed to be a sort of sizzle between them. Jon thought it odd, and besides that he did not even believe in sparks between two people. Sighing, he looked down at his dog.

“I know you only care about the hotdog, and ethical dilemmas are beyond you,” Jon said to Ghost, who turned his head to the side and looked at Jon with hopeful eyes at the mention of a hotdog.

“Jon?”

Jon was startled from his conversation with Ghost by a familiar voice. He looked up to see his neighbor, Tyrion Lannister, standing in the doorway of his floor level apartment, watching Jon with an amused expression on his face.

“Tyrion,” Jon greeted, as he cleared his throat, “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough,” Tyrion chortled.

Jon nodded and rubbed the back of his neck, “Ghost and I are about to get dinner.”

“So, I gathered, from the hotdog discussion,” Tyrion said, “Coincidentally, I too am heading to dinner, perhaps we might venture together to that food truck you like so much?”

Jon nodded, and the two of them set out with Ghost trotting along beside them.

“So, who is this pretty girl, that you were telling Ghost about?” Tyrion asked with a mischievous chuckle, “I don’t recall ever seeing you bring a girl home.”

Jon ran a hand through his hair. How long had it been since he had been out with a girl? Somewhere between medical school and the end of residency but it seemed like it was all a blur.

“I can’t recall ever bringing a girl home myself,” Jon replied with a laugh, “Not here anyway.”

“Too bad,” Tyrion said, “Though you should know, the walls and floors are thin in this building, and so whatever you do will be known by your neighbors.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Jon replied.

“Someone needs to teach you how to live.”

“Excuse me?”

Tyrion looked up at him, “You are always working, and permanently attached to that phone and beeper in your pocket.”

“I do important work,” Jon defended.

“Ah, yes, ushering the next generation into this miserable world,” Tyrion said dramatically, “All of you doctors are very egotistical.”

“Egotistical?”

“Yes, with your god complexes, saving people from the clutches of imminent death.”

“I don’t have a god complex.”

“That’s just what someone who has a god complex would say,” Tyrion tutted at him.

They were getting closer to Seaworth’s Hardware. Jon wondered if _she_ was still there. He tried to peer inconspicuously through the window before they passed by the door. He did not see her, but she could be anywhere in the building. The open sign was still up.

“Are you needing hardware and sporting goods?” Tyrion asked with an amused laugh.

“No,” Jon said simply.

“Davos’ new young desk clerk would not happen to be the pretty girl to whom you referred?”

“Dany?” Jon asked casually, as if there were several new desk clerks to choose from at Seaworth’s.

“Is that her name?”

“I do believe she is the new desk clerk at Seaworth’s,” Jon said, though he knew very well that she was.

They passed unnoticed by the door and continued on to the food truck. They ordered their food and Tyrion continued his prattle as they waited.

“Is she one of yours?” Tyrion asked pointedly.

Jon gave him a look.

“Sorry, sorry, I know privacy laws and such things, I suppose they are in place for a reason,” Tyrion chortled, “Though they do prevent a lot of good gossip from going around.”

“I’m entirely certain that is why they were put into place,” Jon chuckled.

Tyrion ignored his comment and continued, “She’s mysterious, though, is she not? Who willing comes this far north in the dead of winter? And who has heard of Wintertown anyway?”

“Apparently she has,” Jon said simply. Jon did, in fact, find her a mystery, and was very curious what drew her to this out of the way place, but he was not going to discuss that with Tyrion, who seemed intent on nettling him about women.

When their food was ready, Jon handed Ghost his hotdog and took a bite of his hamburger as they returned the way they came.

“I’m fairly certain that beast could take me out in two bites,” Tyrion said, eyeing Ghost as the massive dog devoured the hotdog.

“Who Ghost?”

“Yes, Ghost, what other beasts could I be referring to?”

“Ghost is practically a teddy bear.”

“A polar bear more like.”

“Oh, my gods, he’s beautiful!” A voice interrupted them as they started to pass Seaworth’s. Dany had just locked the front door and came face to face with Ghost. She looked at Jon and smiled, “Is he yours, Dr. Snow?”

Tyrion looked between the two of them.

“Aye, he is,” Jon rubbed the back of his neck.

Dany started to reach her hand out toward Ghost.

Thinking of how Ghost often reacted to Val, Jon hesitated, “Careful…”

She withdrew her hand, “Does he bite?”

“I’ve never seen him bite, but he can be a little protective of me, around strangers.”

“Oh,” She said softly, “What’s his name?”

“Ghost.”

“Hello Ghost,” Dany tentatively held her hand out for Ghost to smell. To Jon’s surprise, Ghost had no adverse reaction.

“You introduce the dog, and not me?” Tyrion exclaimed.

“Oh, sorry,” Jon chuckled, “Dany this is Tyrion, my neighbor.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Dany said, shaking his hand.

“You are new in town, aren’t you?” Tyrion asked her, “How do you and Jon know each other?”

“Uh…” Jon started.

“Dr. Snow rescued me from a flat tire and a torrential snowfall on Christmas Eve,” Dany explained for him, giving him a soft smile. Her nostrils flared a bit, as she eyed his hamburger. Jon smiled in amusement.

“Hungry?” He asked.

“Always,” Dany replied.

“That’s normal at this stage,” Jon said in his knee jerk reactive doctor’s tone. He gave himself an inward eye roll. For gods’ sake, they were not in his exam room.

Tyrion looked between them again, and gave Jon his own eye roll, “Jon knows this wonderful little food truck down the road, he eats there about once a week, both him and this massive creature, he should show you, and feed you.”

Jon glared at Tyrion.

“Pregnant women need to eat,” Tyrion protested.

“No, no,” Dany denied, “I mean, yes, pregnant women need to eat obviously, but he doesn’t need… I mean… I don’t believe hamburgers were on the list of recommended foods that was given to me at my last doctor’s appointment.”

Jon and Dany grinned at each other. She had a light shade of pink on her cheeks, that he found rather cute.

“One hamburger won’t hurt you,” Tyrion exclaimed, “Come, come.”

“What do you say Doctor? Will one hamburger hurt me?” Dany grinned at Jon.

“I don’t imagine so, as long as you don’t make a habit of it,” Jon chuckled, “Like I obviously have.”

“Go on then,” Tyrion urged.

“You’re not coming?” Dany asked Tyrion. They had had such an awkward beginning to their brief acquaintanceship, Jon wondered if she did not want to be alone with him. They were relatively strangers after all, additionally some people were not comfortable around doctors, and she had seemed rather skittish at her appointment.

“No, no, I’ve already had my supper and now I need to retire, I have pages and pages of work to do,” Tyrion said dismissively as he began to walk away, “I will expect a full accounting!”

Tyrion eyed them both seriously, and Jon and Dany exchanged looks, not entirely sure what he meant by that. Then the little man was off and away, leaving Jon and Dany staring after him.

“Sorry about him, he’s a writer and he’s a little strange,” Jon said scratching his beard.

Dany giggled, “No worries.”

“He’s from the south too, who knows, maybe you two might have something in common?” Jon chuckled.

“Are you saying people from the south are strange?” Dany asked with a grin.

Jon laughed, “No, no.”

“So, where is this food truck that you visit every week?” She changed the subject and turned to walk down the road.

Jon ran a hand through his hair, “This way.”

Silently, they walked back to the truck, and she smiled.

“I’ve never eaten at a food truck,” Dany said with a funny smile.

“Really?” Jon scratched his beard and Ghost looked up at her as if he could not believe it either.

Dany chuckled, “Really.”

He thought of what Tyrion told him, and laughed, “Someone needs to teach you how to live.”

“Tell me then, what is best?” Dany asked with a grin as she looked up at the menu.

“These are decisions you must make on your own,” Jon said, “Though we’re leaving now if you think you are getting a hotdog…”

Dany shook her head.

“They have hamburgers, perhaps the best in town, they also have really good chicken tacos…”

“I do believe chicken was on that list you gave me,” Dany said.

Jon ordered her chicken tacos and paid for it though she protested.

“Consider it your welcome to Wintertown meal,” Jon said as he knelt to give Ghost some attention.

“Well, thank you,” Dany replied.

They stared at each other for a few moments.

“I spoke to your cousin the other day…”

“Oh?” Jon replied, though Sansa had told him as much.

“Everyone here is so nice…”

“Were they not nice in King’s Landing?”

“Not like here,” said Dany, “She invited me again to that birth class…”

“Are you going to go?”

“Do you really think it helps?”

“Aye, especially with first time moms,” Jon said as he stood, “I think some of the hardest deliveries I’ve attended are ones where mothers are absolutely terrified because they have no idea what is happening to them or what their body is about to go through.”

Dany nodded.

“For what it’s worth, I think you should go,” Jon said, “You may even be able to make some friends, and if you plan to stay here, that could be good.”

“Yes,” was all she said in reply, as she shivered. He supposed they should go somewhere she could be warm once they got her food.

“Sansa’s husband is overseas, and so I think she would enjoy the company too, might make her feel a little less alone,” Jon offered.

She nodded again.

“Is Missandei going to be your support person?”

“My support person?” Dany asked, “Yes, I suppose so, I have no one else. I haven’t asked her yet though.”

“How long have the two of you known each other?”

“We met in high school.”

“Is she what brought you to Wintertown?” Jon asked curiously.

“Yes, I did not know where else to go,” Dany confessed as she retrieved her food from the window, “Everyone else I know lives in King’s Landing.”

“Which you were trying to get away from?”

“Yes,” She took a bite of her taco and moaned as the food touched her tongue, as if she had not eaten in days.

Jon chuckled, “Good?”

“They’re magical,” she said as she took another bite.

Jon laughed at the rapture on her face.

Looking at him, she smiled and then shivered.

“Are you cold?”

“Yes, I have never seen this much snow,” Dany confessed, "I still need to get me some thermal pajamas." 

“Well, with not being used to it, you need to be careful,” Jon said seriously, “I don’t want you to fall.”

“I’m careful,” Dany assured him, “I promise, doctor.”

They smiled at each other.

“Come on, you need to go somewhere warm,” Jon urged, putting a hand to her shoulder.

“You are a worrier, aren’t you?” Dany asked, as they started to walk back.

“I’m just looking after my patient,” Jon said.

She swallowed another bite, and wiped some sauce from the corner of her mouth with her finger, “I should probably tell you…” She looked a little embarrassed, “I… um… I made an appointment with Dr. Tyrell… but its not because I don’t think you are a good doctor….”

Jon chuckled, “You don’t have to explain…”

“I think I just feel more comfortable…” Dany stammered, "With a... a female." 

“That’s alright,” Jon assured, “You need to feel comfortable with the team that is going to deliver your baby.”

She nodded, “I’m beginning to wonder if I will ever feel comfortable again.”

“Well, I hate to tell you, but the third trimester is going to be even less comfortable.”

She chuckled, “I did not exactly mean physically.”

Jon nodded, “Moving is a big change.”

She silently agreed.

“If you don’t mind my asking…” Jon started as they continued down the lane in the snow and cold, “What brought you to Wintertown?”

She looked down at Ghost as they walked. They were nearing his apartment and he was not quite ready for their walk to be finished, and so he did not tell her and they walked past it and moved forward toward Missandei’s little house that was still a few blocks away.

“I got pregnant and decided that I wanted a different life for my child than the one I had,” She said simply, before taking another bite of her taco, “And so I left.”

“Sounds a lot easier than it probably was,” Jon said, still curious as to the impetus that would lead a five-month pregnant young woman into the frozen north.

She looked at him, “I’m managing… I… I think…”

Jon offered her a smile, “You don’t seem to be any worse for wear.”

She laughed, “I suppose not.”

They continued their leisurely stroll, even as Dany’s teeth began to chatter. Their silence was not uncomfortable, which was a new experience for Jon. Every so often he glanced at her and wondered what she was thinking. Their acquaintanceship in spite of its awkward beginning, seemed to be growing companionable. They drew closer to Missandei’s house.

“Missandei is leaving on a business trip next week,” Dany said suddenly.

“Leaving you here alone?”

“Alone and unsupervised,” Dany chuckled, “I don’t think I’ve ever really been on my own before.”

He was curious about her life before coming here but was not sure if it was his place to ask.

“Well, if you need anything you have Sansa’s number, and I can give you mine,” Jon said.

“Oh, I’ll be alright,” Dany said, “Missandei’s main concern is that I’ll burn her house down because of her wretched stove.”

“Really, though, if you need…”

“I’ll be fine,” she insisted.

“I’ll give you my number anyway,” Jon said, taking a card out of his pocket, and writing his personal number on it, “Now that you are not my patient, we can be friends.”

She smiled, “I suppose that would be acceptable.”

“I’m glad we ran into each other this evening.”

“Thank you for opening my eyes to the world of food trucks,” She shook his hand playfully, "Do you live much further?" 

Jon did not tell her that they had already passed his home. 

"Not far."

"Have a goodnight Dr. Snow." 

"Jon." 

"Have a good night, Jon, thank you for supper," She smiled. 

"Good night Dany." 

Jon watched as she walked up the pathway to Missandei’s house. She looked over her shoulder once, before disappearing into the house.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Dany spends a week in Wintertown without Missandei (Dany POV)


	8. Unsupervised, Pt 1 (Dany)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next bit. I'm not sure how I managed to get this chapter written, but somehow it came together in all the madness of this week. I hope everyone enjoys! 
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and for your kind and lovely comments!

Dany perused the DVD collection in the town library as she waited to say goodbye to Missandei, while munching on plantain chips that she had bagged in little zipper baggies. She was not sure she was allowed to be eating in a library but as no one had tried to stop her, she continued. Her eyes scanned the DVD collection. Having agreed to attend this birthing class with Sansa Stark, she did not want to be completely ignorant about birth, even though, rationally, she knew the birthing class was supposed to help illuminate her. There were a scant few educational birth videos on the shelf, but she picked one up that looked like an upstanding choice and took it to the counter. She had just filled out the application for a library card and so was making her first rental.

“Just the video?” said the kind eyed clerk.

Dany gnawed her lip, perhaps she should have found a book as well? She could have pretended to be a little more cultured. Where she was from, however, one did not frequent a public library in search of literature. Their mansion in King’s Landing had a nice library, and whatever it did not have, could be purchased. Dany found this public library to be a charming novelty, which she supposed was a silly notion, considering how very ordinary public libraries were.

“Just the video,” Dany replied.

“You’re new in town,” said the clerk.

“Yes,” said Dany.

“I’m Irri,” The clerk smiled as she scanned her DVD.

“I’m Dany Targaryen.”

“You’re from the south?”

“Yes,” Dany replied wondering if her place of origin was really that obvious.

Irri handed Dany the DVD in a cute cloth library bag with a wolf on the front. 

“I hope you like it here we always need fresh faces.”

“Thank you.”

“I am about ready to leave Dany!” Missandei called out from the doorway of the locked archive room.

“Alright,” Dany said.

“Oh, you know Missandei?” Irri asked.

“Yes, we’re roommates now,” said Dany.

“Yes, and If she burns my house down while I am gone, she’ll be living in the library,” Missandei laughed as she approached the counter with a bundle of boxes and archival materials in her hands.

Dany smiled and rolled her eyes.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Dany, and I hope you stop by again,” Irri grinned.

“Thank you.”

Dany followed Missandei outside to the rental van that was taking Missandei to the airport.  
“Let me help you,” Dany offered, as Missandei nearly dropped one of her boxes.

“I’ve got it, Dany-dear, you don’t need to be lifting and moving things.”

“I hardly think one box will injure me.”

“Still…” Missandei argued.

Dany scurried over to the back of the van to at least open the back end for her, for easy loading.

“You have the numbers I left for you?” Missandei asked.

“Yes, Missandei,” Dany said.

“You may have to go grocery shopping, there’s not much left in the fridge,” Missandei said.

“I can grocery shop,” Dany gave her a playful scowl. She had just been at the grocery store with Missandei a week ago, during which time she had located her plantain chips.

“Don’t underestimate how cold it gets here…” Missandei continued in her barrage of advice.

“I won’t,” Dany said, “You don’t need to worry about me, I’ll be fine.”

“I’m serious though, people have frozen to death up here.”

Dany laughed, “I’m not going to take to sleeping in the snow if that is what you are worried about. I am a relatively reasonable person.”

Missandei laughed and kissed her cheek, “Yes, I know, I’m sorry, you just make me nervous sometimes.”

“What have I ever done that made you nervous?” Dany giggled, but Missandei gave her a knowing look and so she shrugged and ate another plantain chip.

“Is that from your stash of healthy and acceptable snacks?” Missandei asked with a grin.

“Yes,” Dany could not say she had ever eaten a plantain chip before they had been suggested by Sansa Stark on the phone the other day, but these were quite delicious and she was further surprised that she and Missandei had been able to find something so seemingly exotic in the rugged north, “Wanna taste?”

Missandei grabbed a chip and scarfed it down, “Tastes like home.”

“Naath tastes like a plantain chip?” Dany teased.

“Goodbye, Dany,” Missandei chuckled and went to join her colleague in the front seat of the van.

Dany watched as the van rumbled slowly down the road where snow was piled on either side in heaps. Snow truly was magical, but she had not imagined to be so wretchedly messy. The movies always made it seem so innocent. Thankfully, she had brought her car today, and so she did not have to walk home in the snow. She would be alone and unsupervised. Laughing at the absurdity of being twenty-four and needing so much assistance to survive in the world, Dany went home to the empty little house which would be all hers until Missandei returned. She would get along just fine; she did not need lists of numbers to call. She was an adult… mostly… and if she was going to bring this baby into the world, she needed to learn to be the strong independent woman, she knew was locked inside her somewhere.

* * *

“Going to be a late night for me and the lads,” Davos said to her and Marya as he came to the front of the store, “Got an emergency job outside of town, heating system went down.”

“I will lock up,” Dany said with a smile.

“Doing a great job as usual,” Davos grinned at her. Dany liked Davos very much, she imagined he was what a normal father should be like. Her own father was rather unapproachable, and Dany could not remember ever having a moment with him that resembled what she had longed for as a little girl in need of a daddy.

Marya scurried around the counter and kissed Davos soundly on the mouth. Dany giggled and continued her rearranging of the hardware magazine rack at the counter.

“Go, Mrs. Seaworth!” encouraged one of the lads, as he joined them in the front, laughing at Davos and Marya kissing for all to see. Pyp was a squirrely little fellow, with kind brown eyes, and she tended to doubt that he was as good with tools as he claimed to be. The other two “lads”, Edd and Grenn, joined them as well, as they prepared to set out on this emergency job. Grenn approached Dany and rubbed her bump.

“For luck,” He said, as he did every day. Anyone else touching her bump would have earned them a swift smack in the face, but Dany had grown a soft spot for the lads over the last couple of weeks that she had been working here.

“How’s our baby today?” Pyp asked, ever gregarious.

“Kicking a bit,” Dany grinned, as Pyp patted her bump for luck as well. Edd said nothing only smiled and nodded at her as he usually did. She gave him an encouraging smile, but it did nothing but make him blush. Trying not to giggle, she turned her attention back to her work.

“Come on, lads, we have a long evening ahead of us,” said Davos as he led the way out the front of the store toward the already loaded truck.

Marya waved them off.

“The heat being out is a serious thing here,” Dany said casually as she tidied the store.

“Oh yes, it is certainly not something to take lightly,” Marya said, as she returned inside the store, “Of course there are fire places and other methods of heat production but, if we can fix someone’s central heating in the winter that will always be a priority.”

“Have people died from the cold?” Dany questioned curiously.

“Yes, but its dependent on the circumstances,” Marya said with an amused grin on her face, “You’re not like to freeze to death if you can start a fire any place.”

Dany nodded and watched as Marya began to clean up her workspace and put away the business ledgers.

“Will you be alone for supper tonight then?” Dany asked.

“Oh no, Matthos will be there, Davos and I just can’t seem to get rid of him,” Marya said with a laugh. Dany did not know their son, Matthos, well as he went to school during the week, and only worked at the store on the weekend when Dany was off.

“Did all of your sons leave at eighteen except for Matthos?” Dany asked curiously. She knew it was becoming more common for people of her generation to stay with their parents longer… as she had herself. In her case, she had never had any form of impetus to leave her parents until the baby…

“A few did, a few didn’t,” Marya said, “Our oldest married straight out of highschool and so he certainly did, but the others varied.”

“There were seven?” Dany asked.

“Oh yes, Davos and I just could not keep our hands off each other,” Marya grinned.

Dany giggled, and continued wiping down the countertop, “I’m sure it was nice…”

“We had a good time, sure enough,” Marya said, in that nostalgic way that only happy old ladies had about them, “Do you have many siblings?”

“Two brothers,” Dany said, “But we grew up rather spaced apart.” Dany’s mother, Rhaella Targaryen, had had numerous miscarriages and stillbirths between both Rhaegar and Viserys, and Viserys and her. Rhaegar had been significantly older than Dany in consequence, and Viserys was already into his preteens when she was a toddler.

“Davos and I had ours nearly back to back,” Marya chortled.

Dany smiled, “seems like a lot.”

“Oh, it is, but you get used to it, and it is nice for them to grow up together, makes them closer.”

Dany nodded, “I’m overwhelmed at the prospect of one. I’m a little terrified that I’ll be a terrible mother and ruin this baby’s life forever.”

Marya chuckled, “Oh, my sweet summer child, no one is born knowing how to be a mother, it’s something you learn along the way.”

“It’s not like you can take a class,” Dany grinned teasingly.

Marya laughed, “Well parenting classes do exist, but they are not as beneficial as the real, gritty, messy life experience.”

Dany wondered how she might be a good mother, when she had little to no real-life experiences. Would they just happen upon her naturally or did she need to seek them out?

Marya patted her hand, “Don’t worry, dear, perfect mothers do not exist, all you can do is the best that you can.”

All she could do was the best that she could… Dany sighed, what if her best were not good enough? She had never really put her best to the test.

“Nothing in life is easy but being a mother may very well be the hardest thing you ever do,” Marya assured.

Dany gulped. She had never done a single hard thing in her entire life, having lived the life of a pampered and petted princess, Dany knew nothing about hardship… really, she knew nothing about life. Having wiled away her days, doing as she was told, and living on her own whims and fancies, Dany felt more a child now than she had ever been before, but she was determined not to be daunted.

* * *

The refrigerator was empty… much like the house, as Dany wandered around trying to decide what she wanted for supper. Truly, she needed to go to the grocery store, but she had no energy to do that tonight and besides she was rather lonely in the empty house without Missandei there. In King’s Landing there were trendy coffee shops, and/or bars where both food and companionship could be found. She wondered if there were such a place in this little town. Wintertown was small, but it was big enough to hold the largest regional hospital and so she assumed there had to be at least one comfy coffee shop somewhere. With a quick search on the internet, Dany found Tormund’s Pub, and realized she had been there at New Year’s Eve, it had been a quaint place, perhaps it would suffice? Packing up her computer, headphones, and deciding she could watch her educational birth video while she ate her supper, she dashed out the door.

There were enough people at the pub that it was not lonely, but not so many to be crowded, Dany went to the seating area in the lower level and found a table tucked in the corner at the bottom of the little stairway. A perky waitress took her order, and Dany set up her computer to watch her video. The video seemed very clinical and clean and appeared to offer no actual footage of live birth. She was not sure if this was a good thing or not. She supposed this was the type of sterilized video that might be shown in a community educational class, and she supposed it made her a snob for thinking such a thing. Deciding that she did not want to be caught out by the waitress, she waited until her supper was brought to her before putting her headphones in and pressing play on the video. She had not considered that her back was to the staircase with her screen clearly visible to anyone walking down. As she ate and watched, she wished she had some of her plantain chips to accompany the hearty salad she had ordered… that would have made her significantly happier.

“That’s not how it happens you know?” A voice from behind her startled her, and she whipped around to see Dr. Jon Snow leaning against the stairway railing, grinning, almost mischievously, at her. Dany swiftly shut the top of her laptop.

“It’s not polite to sneak up on someone,” Dany said, looking him up and down. He had on scrubs, and so must have just come from the hospital. Ghost was with him, and immediately made a beeline for Dany, “Hello, big guy,” she greeted the big white dog, who planted his huge head in her lap.

Jon came down the stairs the rest of the way, “You should consider yourself special, he doesn’t take so easily to everyone.”

Dany kissed the top of Ghost’s head, “I do consider myself special,” She had always wanted a dog when she had been young, but her parents never allowed it, saying she was not responsible enough, and it was probably true.

“Come on, Ghost, let’s mind our own business,” Jon called for Ghost and Dany felt a little disappointed.

“Having supper too?” She asked.

“Yes, just got off a long shift,” He said, and his eyes looked tired and almost sad.

Dany nodded, not sure what to say.

“Missandei get off alright?”

“What?”

“Missandei?”

“Oh, yes,” Dany had forgotten she had told him that she was going to be at the house alone.

“You’re going to the birthing class with Sansa, right?” He asked with a tired sigh as he patted Ghost.

“Yes,” Dany replied.

“Good, because that video is not going to help you.”

Dany gnawed her lip, feeling slightly young and foolish, “I just did not want to be totally uninformed when I went to the class.”

Jon nodded, “You know that is what the class is for…”

“Well, you know, you are not at work right now, so you don’t have to be so condescending,” Dany snapped tersely, feeling foolish. 

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” He said, leaning back against the chair the booth he had claimed.

Dany bit her lip and looked down at her hands, feeling guilty. She had such a sharp tongue sometimes; would she ever learn how to be kind and gentle and patient?

“I’m sorry, I don’t think you’re condescending, I actually think you’re quite nice,” Dany said, “There’s no excuse for me snapping at you that way.”

Jon smiled easily, seeming rather unperturbed by her emotional state. He had a pleasant smile, that made warm feelings invade her heart and stomach. She needed seriously to pull herself together. He unnerved her in ways in which she was unfamiliar.

The waitress returned down the stairs and Jon called her by name, asking about her family, and Dany smiled at his kind and easy nature. She supposed that he likely knew the waitress well, as it seemed most everyone knew each other here. She wondered if her life here would become so intertwined that she too could know everyone, and everyone could know her. The thought was a pleasant one.

“You seem to know everyone,” Dany said casually after the waitress left.

“Wintertown is a small place, and most people who grew up here never leave,” Jon said, “I also delivered her baby.”

Dany nodded, supposing that he probably knew even more people in the area than most due to being a doctor and working in the large hospital.

“I suppose you had to leave to go to medical school?” Dany asked.

“Aye,” Jon said simply, “Medical school and residency, but I got back as soon as I could.”

“Did you graduate early?”

“What?”

“Did you graduate early?” Dany reiterated; she had always thought he seemed rather young to be a doctor.

“No.”

“You finished medical school quickly then?”

“I suppose, though I think I did it in the standard time,” Jon chuckled, “I was rather determined.”

“You’re a good doctor,” Dany stated simply, she had seen it in the way people reacted to him and had experienced it herself during her one appointment with him.

“I hope so,” Jon smiled, and pushed back a dark curl that had escaped from the knot at the back of his head. For a moment, she allowed herself to admire what an attractive man he was… one of the more attractive men she thought she had ever seen…

“You look tired,” Dany said compassionately, a part of her wanted to run her fingers through those beautiful dark curls. She probably deserved a slap on the wrist for such thoughts. 

Jon looked down at his hands, “Yeah, well, it was a long day.”

“What happened?” Dany asked, not meaning to be nosy, but she had not seen him look so weary in their previous encounters and the truth of the matter was that she was lonely… and lonely people tended to try and make friends.

“Childbirth is hard, and some are harder than others,” Jon said as he scrubbed a hand down his face, “I’ve got a mother in ICU and a baby in NICU… not an easy day.”

“Oh.”

“Almost lost them both,” Jon confessed.

Dany gave him a gentle smile, “But you didn’t, that’s good right?”

“Yes.”

“You did what you could.”

“Yes,” He said, but then he gave her a kind half smile, “I did what I could.”

“I cannot imagine that kind of pressure or responsibility,” Dany admitted. She had never even been responsible for a dog… she put her hand over her belly, would she be able to be responsible for this child?

“Part of the job,” Jon said.

Dany nodded.

“Sorry, I don’t mean to scare you.”

“I’m not scared,” Dany said defiantly.

It was his turn to nod.

“Things going well? Are you feeling okay?” Jon asked.

“You’re not at work, Jon,” She said gently.

He chuckled and looked at her. Gods, he was beautiful…

“I had my full anatomy scan when I saw Dr. Tyrell,” Dany offered, pulling the ultrasound picture out of her purse, and handing it to him, and then felt slightly embarrassed. He, of course, saw ultrasound scans all the time… they were not special to him. Still, like a good sport, he took the picture and looked at it. She noted how strong his hands looked.

He smiled, “A little boy.”

“Yes,” Dany said as she gnawed her lip.

“Congratulations, Dany,” Those intense grey eyes of his studied her face.

“Thank you, Jon.”

* * *

After running into Jon Snow last night at the pub, Dany had a fitful sleep in which all she could think about were those eyes, and those hands, and his hair. Waking this morning, she was exhausted but determined that a grocery store run was inevitable, she simply could not eat out every night until Missandei returned. What would Missandei think of her if she did such a thing? What would she think of herself? She had come north to be more independent, to be the adult she never had the chance to be in King’s Landing, to actually live by her own rules. She had perhaps, bitten off more than she could chew, however, in her choice of meals for the night. Dany scurried around the kitchen attempting to make a baked potato in the microwave, and some sort of baked chicken dish in the oven that required her to make some sort of blended sauce… apparently, it was a delicacy in Essos. Wiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand, Dany did not think there was anything delicate about it. She had the dishwasher running, the stove going, and the microwave on as she poured the ingredients of the sauce into the blender. Earlier she had sprayed remnants of the sauce all over the kitchen when with the first pulse she had not realized that the lid to the blender was not secured properly. This would be her second attempt at the sauce. She plugged the blender in and turned it on once more, and then the electricity cut out. All the lights, the microwave, the dishwasher, the stove, and the blender all were dead.

“What the hell?” She shouted at nothing. How could the electricity cut out at a time like this? When she was all alone and genuinely had no idea what she was doing? Her chicken was only half cooked, as ignorant as she was, she knew she could not eat raw chicken. She sighed. What was she supposed to do now? She grabbed her phone, and turned on the flashlight, in the dark the kitchen looked horrendously messy. Dany was glad Missandei was not there to see. If the lights were out, did that mean the heat was out too? It was freezing outside; would she be able to keep warm if the heat did not come back? She remembered Marya’s words about fireplaces, would she need to start a fire? If she did, she was sure Missandei’s greatest fears about leaving her alone would come true.

“You most certainly should not start a fire,” Dany said to herself. She walked into the living room and noted that the lights in the upstairs part of the house were still on, “What in the actual hell?” She was baffled. How could the lights in the top still be on, when the lights in the bottom were out?

“I just want to eat,” She moaned at the air, and sat down on the sofa trying to decide what to do. Snow had started falling outside again, what if she got snowed in? She supposed she could her plantain chips until someone came to her rescue. Pulling up Davos’ number in her phone, she thought to call him, but he and Marya lived so far out in the country, she did not want to drag them into town when the snow was coming down so hard. No, she would not bother them. She would figure this out… but how? As much as she pretended to know things about hardware while she worked, she actually knew next to nothing. She started to text Missandei but thought better of it, she did not want Missandei to worry.

“You have to do something, Dany,” She told herself, as she continued to sit in her baffled state looking between the lights on upstairs and the lights off downstairs. Sighing, she dramatically threw herself down upon the couch and clutched her belly, “I won’t let you freeze, but Mama has just got to come up with a plan,” she told the baby.

As she lay there contemplating her next course of action, it occurred to her that Dr. Jon did not seem to live so very far away, perhaps even within walking distance. She wondered if he knew anything about electricity. Maybe he could help her? Calling him would be better than calling the list of strangers on Missandei’s list. Dany pulled up Jon’s phone number which she had saved, blushing to recall her rather scandalous thoughts of him the night before in bed. She hesitated for a moment, she hated feeling so ignorant and helpless, did she want to call him up and confirm to him that she had absolutely no idea how to live life? People have died in this cold, she reminded herself, both Marya and Missandei had said so. What if the heat had gone off with her electricity? But why were the upstairs lights still on? Baffled, and frowning, Dany dialed Jon’s number.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Unsupervised Pt 2 (POV undecided)


	9. Unsupervised, Pt 2 (Dany)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So in retrospect, I should have just kept this chapter with the last one, since it turned out better from Dany's perspective, but alas, it is what it is. I hope everyone enjoys!
> 
> Thanks for reading and for your kind comments!

The knock on the door caused her to startle even though she was expecting it. She opened the door to find Jon bundled in a heavy coat with Ghost at his side.

“Do you think Missandei will mind if he comes in? I have to leave him so much for work I don’t like leaving him home if I don’t have too,” Jon said, patting Ghost’s head.

“No, I don’t think she will mind,” Dany smiled, and opened the door wider, “Thanks for coming.”

“No problem,” Jon said as he handed her a little bundle of fabric, “It is cold in here,” He held a flashlight up, and shined it on the bundle in her hand.

She unfolded the fabric, and smiled, feeling a curious warmth steal over her… it appeared to be a pair of oversized thermal long underwear.

He looked a little bashful when he met her eyes, “Thought you might be able to get some use out of those… they will probably be a little big, but I’ve never worn them…”

She blushed, “Even if you had worn them, I wouldn’t have minded.”

She thought she saw the tips of his ears turn red. Bundled with the long underwear was a DVD, Dany looked at the title and her heart did a little somersault.

“Thought you might find that video a little more useful, I found it at the office and it has my seal of approval,” He chuckled as he ran his hand through his hair, looking almost embarrassed.

“Thank you, Jon,” Dany said softly. She had been given many things in her life, but never anything with so much simple kindness and thought.

“Let’s take a look at this electricity,” Jon said, clearing his throat, and glanced up at the stairs, “The lights are on upstairs?”

“Yeah, but everything shut off down here,” Dany explained as she led him to the kitchen, with Ghost at their heels.

He flashed the flashlight around the kitchen and looked like he was trying not to smile, “What were you doing before everything cut out?”

Dany gnawed her lip and rocked on her heels, “Cooking.”

“Did you have a lot of appliances running?” He asked.

“The blender and the microwave…” She thought some more, “And the stove, and the dishwasher, and of course the lights were on.”

His mouth twitched again as if he was trying not to smile, “It sounds like you just flipped the breaker, that happens sometimes, especially in these older houses. Do you know where the breaker box is?”

Dany was not going to tell him that she did not actually know what a breaker box was, and so she only shook her head.

“Come on, usually it’s in the laundry room, or a closet somewhere,” Jon led the way and she followed him, pretending that she knew what he was talking about but fairly certain that he was on to her.

They found the breaker box in the closet under the staircase. Jon explained to her what it did, and how it controlled the electricity in the house. She felt like a child… she had so much to learn.

“So, I think if you flip this one…” Jon pointed at a switch, “It will bring the power back.”

“It’s that easy? Just flip it?” Dany asked incredulously.

Grinning, Jon took her hand and prompted her to flip the switch, and when she did sure enough the power came back and then she heard ruckus coming from the kitchen.

“Oh my god!” Dany squealed and made a dash for the kitchen, “The blender was on!”

She heard Jon laughing in her wake as she made it to the kitchen and breathed a sigh of relief to see that the lid to the blender was still sealed. She turned it off and sighed. She still had not had a proper supper.

“Looks a bit like you were fighting a war in here,” Jon chuckled from the doorway of the kitchen, and she tossed him a playful glare.

“I was cooking,” She said, “but… in all fairness, I’m not a good cook,” she knew that was rather an understatement, “I had a recipe but I think I got in a little over my head.”

He gave her a soft smile.

She knew he likely thought she was little better than an ignorant little girl, trying to play house, “Do you want something to eat? I can make you something, especially since you keep coming to my rescue.”

Jon chuckled, “You are offering to cook me something after just admitting that you are a bad cook?”

Dany laughed and felt her cheeks blush, “Why don’t you and Ghost go sit down in the living room and I will compile a plateful of snacks and we can eat together, I still haven’t eaten and I’m starved. No cooking involved.”

He looked at her for a moment, she could see a moment of hesitation in his eyes. Did he think it was inappropriate since she was a patient in his practice, even if she was not his patient any longer?

“Yeah, that sounds great,” He said.

“Okay then, go sit,” Dany gave him a playful shove toward the door, and admired his backside as he walked toward the living room. He was not the tallest man she had ever seen, but he was a fair bit taller than her and he was rugged and very… northern… like he was made for snow, and mountains and pine forests. Biting her lip, she brushed those thoughts aside… she was much too old to be crushing on a boy… though she supposed he was a grown man not a boy… more of a grown up than she was anyway, he was ten years older than her after all, and accomplished and well established. She, on the other hand, had only left her parents house a few weeks ago, and was barely more than a child in regards to life experiences.

“Get a grip, Dany,” She whispered to herself as she pulled a platter out of Missandei’s cupboard and opened the pantry to her stash of pregnancy snacks. On the platter she neatly arranged a pile of her beloved plantain chips, which she was willing to share since he rescued her electricity, then she cut up an apple, and put some slices of cheese, and nuts, among other delicacies that she hoarded, including pickles, a craving which she had developed during pregnancy which she considered wholly unnatural.

Taking the platter to the living room, she set it on the coffee table and smiled at him.

“No cooking needed,” She proclaimed.

“Looks perfect,” Jon grinned.

“What do you want to drink? Hot chocolate? Water? Juice?”

“Water is fine, thank you,” he replied.

Dany nodded and scurried off to get them some water, and when she returned, he looked at ease, as he munched. She noted that he had rolled up the sleeves of his flannel shirt and his strong forearms were… quite frankly, distracting. Biting her lip, she plopped down on the couch beside him trying to be casual as she handed him a glass of water.

“Thank you for coming and fixing my electricity,” She said.

“No problem.”

“You’re nice.”

He laughed at that.

“I know that sounds silly to say it that way but its true, so many people here are nice, people are not like that in King’s Landing, ” Dany rambled, not sure what was compelling her to keep putting her foot in her mouth, “I just wanted you to know that you are nice… kind… I think you’re kind.” _Kind_ was a much better word.

“Thank you,” Jon picked up a plantain chip and inspected it, “What is this?”

“It’s a plantain chip,” Dany said matter-of-factly.

“I’ve always thought plantains were just rather pretentious bananas.”

Dany laughed, “Those chips are magical regardless of whether you like plantains.”

He took a bite, and after a few moments of savoring the flavor he seemed to concede, “So what did you do in King’s Landing?”

Dany blanched, “What did I do?”

“Yeah, like for work? Or were you in school?”

Swallowing, she looked down at the platter, feeling embarrassment rush over her. She did nothing of value in King’s Landing, it had been quite awhile since she quit school, and she did not work, and so she did as she pleased… day in and day out. Occasionally, she helped her mother with her charitable causes, but it was always begrudgingly.

“I didn’t do anything,” Dany confessed.

He chuckled, “What do you mean?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Dany reiterated, he might as well know now how she had squandered away the years… not that it mattered what he thought… but for some reason it did matter, “My family is very wealthy, you see… and I was allowed to do just as I pleased, whenever I pleased.”

Jon nodded, and did not look quite as horrified as she thought he might.

“I was studying to be a lawyer,” Dany explained as she leaned down to pet Ghost so she did not have to look him in the eye, “But I hated it, every time I went to class, I felt a little bit more of my soul being siphoned away, but ultimately I quit because it was hard, and I never learned how to do hard things.”

Jon nodded and she felt somewhat embarrassed for being so transparent.

“After that my life never really got back on track…” Dany confessed, “I just sort of frittered away my days… until… well, until this…” she put a hand on her bump. In truth, she had been the stereotypical spoiled rich kid who had never worked a day in her life, and who spent her nights at clubs and slept in till noon. Sometimes she hated who she had become in that period, she knew it was not who she was, and she never wanted to be that person again.

“Becoming a parent can be a powerful motivator,” Jon said.

Dany nodded, “It is, but I did what I did for more than just my baby, I had wanted to do it for so long, but when I found out I was pregnant, it gave me the courage I needed to actually strike out on my own.”

“And now that you are?” He pressed, with a kind look in his eyes.

“I want to be a person that does hard things, someone worthwhile, and who works hard, and has thoughts that her own,” Dany grinned, “And who knows what breaker boxes are.”

Jon laughed.

“I don’t know, I just want to make a life for my baby that has value beyond money,” Dany explained.

“And so, you set out to the north?”

“Yes, because I knew I could not live on my own terms in King’s Landing,” Dany said with a sigh, “My parents wanted me to marry the father, and the father wanted me to get rid of the baby so we could move on with our lives, and I did not want either. And so, I chose my own way.”

Jon nodded.

“Did you always want to be a doctor?” Dany asked, feeling a topic change was in order, when she felt her vulnerability may have crossed a line.

“Mostly,” Jon said, “As many teenage boys, I did go through a phase during high school when I thought I’d like to be a pro athlete, but the phase passed quickly.”

She giggled, but in truth, she could see him as an athlete, he was strong and sturdy looking… her eyes once again drawn to those forearms.

“How did you choose OB/GYN as your specialty?”

Jon looked down at Ghost, “It was a specialty that allowed me to use a wide variety skill, I could be a surgeon and practice general medicine,” He said it like it was the most practical decision he had ever made.

Dany could tell there was more to it and so she waited for him to go on.

“My mother died giving birth to me,” He finally said with a sigh, “And so, honestly there was always a part of me that always knew that this was what I wanted to do… and it has not disappointed… it’s a rewarding job.”

“I can tell you are very passionate about it,” Dany commented with a smile.

“I am,” Jon gave her a half smile, “Robb thinks I’m a little too passionate about it, and Olenna thinks I need to have a little more objective distance…”

“There’s nothing wrong with compassion,” Dany said softly, “The world could certainly use a little more of that.”

He looked at her, and blinked, and for a moment they just looked at each other.

A sharp kick in her womb caused her to startle and broke the moment.

“Oh,” she gasped, and then grinned.

“Alright?” He asked, reaching his hand out as if to touch her and then retracting it.

“Yeah, he just kicked me,” She giggled.

Jon laughed.

“And if you turn into Dr. Snow and tell me that’s normal, I’m going to kick you,” She teased, nudging him with her foot. He caught her foot in his hand, and she giggled when he accidently brushed against a particularly ticklish spot.

“Your feet are cold,” He said.

“That’s because we live in a frozen tundra,” Dany replied with a toss of her hair, “I’ve never been so cold in my life.”

“Well, I hope the longjohns help. I won’t go anywhere if you want to go put them on or grab a blanket or something.”

He would not go anywhere? Did that mean he was enjoying their little visit? She nodded and scurried offer.

Going upstairs, she briefly glanced in her empty baby room, before swiftly changing into the longjohns, and grabbing the massive quilt from her bed. She could share this blanket with him because he was surely cold as well. The snow was still coming down outside and she hoped she was not keeping him from anything. He grinned in amusement when she reappeared in the living wearing the longjohns and carrying the blanket. Sitting back down on the sofa, she arranged the blanket and offered him a part which he took.

“This is a nice blanket,” Jon ran his finger over the fabric.

“Marya Seaworth gave it to me, said she had it lying around the house because she makes quilts for fun,” Dany chuckled, and had a hard time imagining the amount of work that went into making such an exquisite blanket. She had felt bad for taking it, but Marya had insisted, and had even informed her that she had started working on a quilt for the baby.

Dany picked up the birth video that Jon had brought over for her, “So tell me… what’s the difference between this video and the one I rented from the library?”

“That one has actual footage of live births, which is far more useful than the clinical demonstrations from the video you were watching from the library,” Jon smiled at her.

Dany nodded.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I think sometimes I just get nervous when I realize how big a deal this is and how much I still have to learn,” Dany confessed.

Jon smiled, “Having a baby is a big deal, but just because there is learning curve, maybe a steeper learning curve than some, does not mean that you cannot do it.”

“Thanks, Jon,” She said softly, “Thanks for everything tonight.”

“No problem,” Jon chuckled, “We decided to be friends, right? Friends take care of each other.”

Friends… she was happy to be friends with him, he was the type of person who was worth being friends with, like Missandei. Dany sat the video back on the table.

“Want to watch a movie with me?” Dany asked, nestling down in her blanket.

He grinned, and surprisingly, looked a little shy, “Um, yeah, sure… lets watch a movie.”

After a ten-minute debate over the merits of one movie or another, they finally popped one in and settled onto the sofa. She stole glances at Jon out of the corner of her eye occasionally and wondered what his life was like… she doubted he had much time to just sit down and watch a movie with a friend. She wondered if that made him lonely, or if his work was enough to hold him up. She supposed it did not matter right now, tonight they could just be together and neither of them had to be lonely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Jon and Dany continue to grow their friendship while Missandei is away (Jon POV)


	10. Doctor Jon (Jon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had to get this chapter out of my head before I could focus on Little Darling and Life After Death, both of which I have chapters started on. Here we get into Jon's head a little bit. Anyway, I'm not entirely sure how this chapter turned out, but I hope it's not disappointing. 
> 
> Thanks for reading and for your lovely comments!

The movie was ending, but Jon did not really notice as he watched Dany sleep. He was not sure if he should wake her up or just sneak out. Ghost was sound asleep with her and Jon had to smile at the sight. She was very pretty, that much was true, but she was young, and he was not sure that any attraction he felt for her was entirely appropriate. Obviously, she was an adult but having only had her first taste of the world, he doubted she wanted a man as old as he confessing any sort of attraction to her. He needed to reign in his attraction… they barely knew each other after all.

Standing up, Jon leaned over her and touched her cheek, “Dany?”

She mumbled something in her sleep.

“Dany,” He gave her shoulder a little shake.

Those bright violet eyes fluttered open and she blinked a few times before giving him a sleepy smile, “Hello,” She yawned.

Gods, she was cute… something in the region of his heart gave a little squeeze. Jon smiled at her, “Hello.”

“Is the movie already over?” She asked in a haze of sleepy confusion.

“Yeah, you slept through most of it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, we will have to watch another sometime,” she suggested, her eyes still looking so heavy.

“Aye, I’d like that.”

“You would?” She asked with an adorably innocent smile.

“I would,” Jon had taken Olenna’s advice tonight and tried to get some rest without going to the hospital every other hour, but he had gotten bored and lonely at his apartment rather quickly. When Dany had called him, distressed over the cold and lack of power, he had welcomed the distraction. When she asked him to stay for a movie, he thought perhaps she was lonely too.

“Tomorrow?” She asked hopefully.

“I’m on call tomorrow.”

She frowned, her eyes sliding closed again, “I’m going to tour the hospital maternity with Sansa tomorrow.”

“Good.”

“I didn’t know people toured hospitals,” she sounded liked she was falling back asleep. 

Jon chuckled, “Sansa will tour anything if she’s given the chance.”

Dany grinned, “I think we’re going to be friends.”

“You and me?”

“Me and Sansa,” Dany corrected with a sleepy little sigh, “I thought you and me were already friends.”

“We are,” Jon said, no longer able to hide his smile.

“I need to go to bed,” she replied, nestling deeper in the huge quilt.

“Yes, you do,” Jon chuckled, thoroughly enjoying this sleepy, unguarded version of her. He brushed back some of her hair from her face, “Come on, let’s go to bed, you don’t want to sleep on the couch.”

“I’m warm,” she groaned.

Jon tugged her hand, “Come on, you can be warm in bed.”

“It’s cold.”

“You’re wearing thermal underwear.”

She giggled, “Your thermal underwear.”

Jon laughed, and tugged at her again, helping her to her feet as she tugged the quilt around her, “Sleeping in your bed is better for your body.”

“Yes, Doctor Jon,” Dany said and then laughed as if she told a joke.

“I’d hate to see you drunk, if you’re this out of when you are tired,” Jon threw her arm over his shoulder and then lifted her up into his arms.

“You don’t have to carry me,” Dany chortled as she threw her arms around his neck, “I can walk.”

Jon only grinned, “Are you upstairs or downstairs?”

“Upstairs,” She replied with another sleepy little yawn.

Slowly, Jon carried her upstairs, with Ghost trailing behind them. One of the upstairs rooms was empty, but the other was obviously hers, and so he laid her down in her bed, and she curled into her side. Ghost hopped up on the bed with her and laid down beside her.

Dany laughed and reached behind her to pet him, “I think he is ready for bed.”

Jon rubbed the back of his neck, “Aye, I suppose so.”

“He can stay,” Dany whispered, and looked up at him, “You both can… its cold outside and snowing, I don’t want you to get lost in the snow.”

Laughing, Jon sat down at the foot of the bed and looked at her, “Get lost in the snow?”

“Yes, I watched a documentary once about people who got lost in a blizzard and froze to death.”

“That’s cheerful.”

Dany giggled and pulled the blanket up to her chin, “I don’t want Ghost to get lost and freeze to death.”

“And what about me?”

“You either.”

“It’s not snowing that hard, and I don’t live far,” Jon explained, giving her foot a squeeze.

“Stay,” She repeated.

Jon raked a hand through his hair, “I don’t think I should… I don’t think that would be appropriate.”

Dany’s eyes snapped fully open, as she sat up, and looked at him, more alert now, “Appropriate?”

“Yeah… I…”

“What does appropriate have to do with anything?” She frowned.

“I don’t want to take advantage…” Jon stammered.

“I’m not suggesting you crawl into bed with me and we get it on,” Dany snapped crossing her arms over her chest and glowering at him, “But even if I were, I am a grown woman, I think I could handle a simple yes or no. And just so you know, I had more in mind of you sleeping on the couch or we sleep here with Ghost between us.”

“Dany, it’s not that I don’t think you are a grown woman,” Jon said, “It’s just you’re young…”

“I’m young?” She retorted before he could finish, and Jon was cursing himself for his slow tongue. She laid back down and pulled the covers back around her, “Stay or go, Jon, I don’t care, just remember to lock the door. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Dany,” Jon said softly and urged Ghost off the bed to follow him out.

Jon closed her bedroom door and glanced once more into what he assumed was to be the baby’s room. It was empty and he wondered when she was going to come to terms that she was, in fact, having a baby.

He sighed and patted Ghost, “Come on, ole boy, let’s go home before I botch this up even more.”

* * *

The next day in the doctors’ lounge, Jon was more surly than usual, having snapped at a nurse, spilled a tray of surgical supplies (luckily not in the surgical theater), forgot his lunch in the microwave until it was cold and sticky, and spilled coffee down the front of his white coat. He was now trying to stay out of everyone’s way until he was needed, by hiding in the doctors’ lounge. His interactions with Dany the night before had ate away at him all night, he had not meant to insinuate that she was a child or incapable of making decisions for herself, but they barely knew each other, and she was young in a way, even if she did not want to admit it. Jon was growing fond of her, and hoped that she was fond of him, but at the same time he did not want that fondness to inhibit her new found freedom or restrict the growth that she had set out to find here. Near screaming in the hallway, caused him to jump up from the sofa, throwing aside the newspaper.

“What’s going on out here!?” Jon demanded throwing open the door to the lounge and stepping out into the hallway. Nurse Roslyn was helping support a woman who was crying, as she leaned against her husband in a half squat. The woman released a guttural groan.

“He’s coming!” the woman screamed, her body seeming to tighten in on itself. Jon immediately jumped into action.

“Roslyn get a room ready and call a gurney, now!” He snapped.

“He’s coming!” The woman screamed again and looked like she was bearing down.

Jon frowned as he saw the prying eyes in the busy day time hallway.

“We’re going to get you to a room,” Jon encouraged but the woman grabbed him quite aggressively by his scrubs.

“He’s right there!” She wailed and that was when Jon got the message on why she was not really moving toward any room.

Getting on his knees, he looked up at her, “I’m a doctor,” he indicated his badge, “I’m just going to lower your pants here, and see where baby’s at,” Jon informed.

The woman seemed to be bearing down again but trying not to push, which prompted him to act a little more swiftly. The husband nodded at Jon and one of the nurses handed him gloves. Reaching between the woman’s legs, he felt the baby’s head beginning to emerge. They were not going to make it to a room, they were having this baby right here. Nurses were scurrying about trying to help, and Roslyn came running back with a delivery tray in her arms and some towels. Jon could hear the sound of the gurney coming down the hallway. Even hospital visitors were gathering to watch, which made Jon angry.

“Can everyone give us some damn space!” Jon shouted aggressively at the onlookers, causing the crowd to back away, he looked back up at the mother, “Pant, that’s good, you’re doing good,” he coached wanting the head and shoulders to come nice and slow, “Just breathe, your husband and Nurse Roslyn are going to hold you, and I’m going to catch baby, alright?”

“I don’t want him to fall!” She cried out frantically.

“He’s not going to fall,” Jon said calmly, “Little pushes now, you’re safe and your baby is safe.”

She nodded and her squat deepened.

“That’s it, you’re safe, and your baby is safe,” Jon repeated and with another push and loud wail, the baby slipped into Jon’s arms. Nurse Roslyn handed him a towel and something to suction the baby. Another nurse had draped a sheet on the ground so the woman could lie down for a moment. The baby was crying, which was a good sign, and Jon laid the baby on the woman’s chest once she was down so that everyone could catch their breaths, before getting this poor woman to a room. He looked up at Roslyn, who was smiling, and he had to chuckle. They had had a couple of car deliveries in his time, but he believed that this was his first hallway delivery.

The nervous onlookers still hovering, albeit a little further away, made Jon snap back to action. He stood from the ground.

“Let’s get her up on the gurney and to a room for some privacy,” Jon said, and before he had a chance to command someone to bring a blanket to cover the woman and baby up, Nurse Roslyn had already done so. He gave her an approving nod. These nurses were competent and knew what they were doing, often knowing what he needed before he even asked, and he needed to remember that and not take them for granted. Jon, Roslyn, a couple of orderlies, and the woman’s husband managed to lift and maneuver her on to the gurney, and as they walked toward a room, Jon assessed her for any abnormal bleeding while they awaited the placenta. Once in a room, Jon checked the mother over, while nurses assessed the baby, but everything seemed to be fine, for which Jon was relieved.

“This little fellow is going to have quite a birthday story,” Jon said, which made the mother grin, though he could tell how tired she was. His worked was finished for now, and he would leave the nurses to do what they did.

Going back out into the hallway, he sighed, perhaps his day would be redeemed after all. Turning a corner, he nearly ran face first into Sansa, who had Dany by her side.

“Hello, Jon!” Sansa greeted, “I didn’t know you were working today, or I would have demanded you give us our tour.”

Jon chuckled, and gave her a hug, “I would have happily given you a tour, but we had some excitement just now…”

“Oh, yes, that’s what one of the nurses was telling us,” Sansa smiled, “Did she really give birth in the hallway?”

Dany looked a little queasy at the thought.

“Yeah, yeah, she got here just in time.”

“Does that happen often?” Dany asked with a frown.

“No, not that often,” Jon said, “We’ve had a car delivery or two, but I think this is a first, for me anyway, in the hallway.”

Dany still looked less than reassured.

“You don’t need to be scared,” Jon tried, “You will make it to the hospital.”

Dany crossed her arms over her chest, “I’m not scared.”

He doubted that from the way her eyes were still rather wide, but he admired her attempts at courage.

“Well, we don’t want to take up any more of your admin’s time, and so we are going to finish our tour,” Sansa said, nodding her head toward the administrator who was waiting for them.

“Have fun,” Jon smiled.

Dany looked at him for a moment with surprisingly soft eyes, before turning away from him. Jon stared after her and sighed… they needed to talk. They rounded a corner and then they were gone.

“I see you staring Dr. Snow, you had better put your eyes back in your head,” Jeyne Westerling caught him staring as she got off the elevator, “Or someone is going to think you are staring at the Seaworth’s new clerk again.

“Again?”

“So you were?” Jeyne teased.

“How’s Robb?” Jon teased right back, unphased.

“How should I know? He’s your cousin.”

Jon sighed.

Jeyne approached him and they walked toward the nurse’s station.

“She’s a little young for you, don’t you think?”

That was precisely what Jon was concerned about, but he did not say.

“Not to mention that she is pregnant.”

“Just because she is pregnant does not mean she is damaged,” Jon snapped irritably. He did not believe blood ties were a prerequisite for loving a child. He did not care if she was pregnant, whoever the bastard was who had abandoned her did not deserve to be the father of her child. Blood was not the only thing that made parents of people, and compassion for a fatherless child was not a weakness or a waste. He owed much to his uncle Ned, who had loved him like a son when he had no one else. 

* * *

“I got your address from Sansa,” was the first thing Dany said when he opened the door to her knock. It had been a couple of days since he had left her house, with their relationship somewhat strained. He had not expected her to show up at his house.

He widened the door and let her in.

“I brought dinner,” She held up a bag that had Tormund’s pub logo on it, and in her other hand she had a bag of those strange chips of hers, “And I didn’t make it if you’re concerned.”

Jon was not sure what she was about.

She gnawed her lip, and looked at her feet, “I’m sorry for being hostile the other night,” She said, almost dejectedly.

Jon tried not to laugh as she was obviously sincere.

“I get so defensive sometimes and I don’t know why, but it’s wrong, and I’m sorry,” She said in a huff.

“I forgive you,” Jon smiled, “And I apologize for insinuating that you were a child, it was not what I meant.”

“Friends again, then?” She asked hopefully.

“We never stopped.”

She grinned at him and rocked awkwardly on her heels. Smiling, Jon took the bag of food from her hands.

“Have a seat,” He indicated the stools at the marble bar in his kitchen, “I’ll get us some plates,” He turned toward the cupboard.

“Oh, you are a pretty boy,” Dany exclaimed.

Jon nearly choked before turning back around toward her and realizing that she was talking to Ghost, and not to him. He had to stifle a laugh and shook his head at himself. Coming to the bar, Jon placed a plate in front of her and sat himself down across from her. It was surprisingly intimate… he had not known his apartment had such ambiance.

“Your place is nice,” She said, as she glanced around.

“Thanks, this building is historic, it’s one of the reasons I bought the place,” Jon explained, though he imagined his apartment needed homey touches. It was lacking, he knew. He dished them out some of the food that Dany had brought, while Dany opened the bag of plantain chips and put a handful on each of their plates.

“When’s Missandei due back?” Jon asked as they ate.

“In a few days,” Dany said, and he noticed that she snuck a piece of chicken to Ghost when she thought he was not looking.

“The electricity still working?” Jon poked.

“Yes.”

“House still standing?”

She chuckled, “Yes.” 

“So, you are plucking along just fine than?”

“Yes,” Then she looked at him with a sweet smile, “With a little bit of help.”

“I suppose we all need a bit of help sometimes,” Jon said, reaching across the table and wiping a bit of sauce from the corner of her mouth with his thumb. When she blushed, he immediately chastised himself, not sure why he could not seem to keep his hands to himself.

“I used to never think I needed help,” Dany confessed.

Jon nodded in encouragement for her to go on.

“I was always used to getting what I want, life was always easy, and I’ve never had to struggle for anything or through anything,” She sighed, “I’m a spoiled brat really.”

Jon doubted that but he did not interrupt her.

“I don’t want to be that way anymore,” She said.

“Well, I think you are well on your way to not being that way, considering everything you’ve done so far,” Jon smiled.

“All my life, I’ve been prone to taking the easy route, but now I want to do things the right way, even if they are hard.”

“That can be your new motto,” Jon reached over and gave her hand a squeeze, “Dany does hard things.”

She laughed, “Dany does hard things.”

“How about after dinner, we sit down on my barely touched sofa, and watch that movie?”

She looked at their still entwined hands, “I would like that.”

“So would I,” Jon knew that whatever it was that was going on between them needed to be reigned in, but they could worry about that tomorrow, tonight the apartment did not have to be so empty.

They retired to Jon’s living room, and Dany grabbed her bag of chips as they did. He grinned at her.

“You don’t mind if I eat over there do you?” She asked, indicating the sofa.

“I don’t mind.”

“I’m so hungry all the time!” She protested.

“That’s….” Jon started.

“Normal, I know…” Dany laughed as she dramatically fell onto the sofa.

Jon sat down beside her.

“Hungry and horny all the time,” She admitted with a smirk and then her face turned beet red as she realized what words had just tumbled haphazardly from her mouth.

“That can be normal too, just so you know,” Jon stated, trying his best to use his most professional tone to alleviate some of her embarrassment, but feeling somewhat embarrassed as well in spite of himself, “If those are your only troublesome symptoms than you are in good company.”

Dany’s brow furrowed, “I think they are…”

“Well, I’m happy to help with any troublesome symptoms…” Jon did not complete his thought as he realized what his words implicated. They looked at each other and then Dany started to laugh, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

“I know, what you meant,” She smiled fondly at him and patted his knee before offering him some more plantain chips.

Sighing, Jon dipped his hand into the bag in defeat.

“Well, Doctor Jon, lets watch this movie.”

“Aye.”


	11. Imaginings (Dany)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how this one turned out, but for what it is worth, here it is. I hope everyone enjoys!
> 
> Thanks for reading and for your lovely comments!

“They want me to bring a pillow to the class,” Dany chuckled to Jon as they walked from their respective workplaces toward home. They had run into each other, as Dany was locking up the store and Jon had left the clinic. She had finally registered for the birth class that she would be attending with Sansa Stark, and she thought it amusing that they asked her to bring a pillow. What would they be doing that required a pillow?

Jon grinned in amusement at her but did not say anything.

“I know you think I’m wildly ignorant about such things,” Dany teased, “But why do we need a pillow?”

“Maybe they just want you to be more comfortable?” Jon suggested, “And I don’t think you are wildly ignorant, and unless you have attended a birth before, most people have no clue what birth is like so you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself.”

Dany shrugged, and took a bite of the taco that Jon had purchased for her on his way home. Why he had brought her dinner, she was not sure. Perhaps he was just compelled to help pregnant women even when they were not his patient? Perhaps he feared for Missandei’s house, while she was away and did not want Dany cooking for herself? Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she smiled to herself. Perhaps he was just kind?

“Did you watch the video I brought you yet?” Jon asked, eating his own taco. She had to chuckle at the little baggy that hung from his arm, which was obviously some form of sustenance for Ghost.

“Not yet,” Dany said, “I was going to last night, but I fell asleep before I could.”

Jon chuckled, “Be forewarned it has real birth footage in it.”

Dany was not sure what could be so terribly bad… it was just a video after all, not the real deal.

“When’s Missandei coming home?” Jon asked as they drew closer to his apartment.

“Well originally, it was going to be day after tomorrow, but she called me last night and said that the trip was going to take a little longer because the collection that they are cataloguing and packing up is much larger than they expected, not to mention they are going to be bringing it overseas, so they have to pack it correctly for shipping… apparently they are all very ancient documents.”

Jon nodded, obviously knowing as much about archival work as she herself did… which was nothing, “You lonely over at the house by yourself?”

Dany snorted and rolled her eyes playfully, “How could I be? She’s barely been gone a week, and I think I’ve seen you every other day, and I saw Sansa once.”

They made it to the front steps of Jon’s building, to find Tyrion sitting on the steps smoking a pipe and swirling a glass of wine his hand.

“Good gods, Tyrion, aren’t you cold?” Jon asked.

“I do not feel the cold any longer,” said Tyrion with a puff of his pipe and a chase of wine.

Dany suppressed a giggle. She was not sure what to make of Jon’s eccentric next-door neighbor.

“I see you are taking my advice, Snow,” Tyrion looked at Dany.

Jon frowned, “I would say I’m skirting around your advice, Lannister.”

Dany looked between the two of them, “And what advice is this?”

“Sage wisdom from a man of years,” Tyrion said.

“Years?” Jon retorted.

“Well, I am older than you…” Tyrion replied, “Though my wisdom is at times questionable.”

“Well, I need to go take Ghost out…” Jon started, obviously wanting to extricate himself from the situation. Dany hid a grin. Whatever this _sage wisdom_ which Tyrion imparted, obviously Dr. Jon found embarrassing… The thought amused her.

“Thanks again for supper Jon,” Dany said and started to turn back to the sidewalk.

“Are you not going up, Dany?” Tyrion asked her.

Dany felt her cheeks grow warm.

Jon glared at Tyrion, but his eyes softened when he looked at her, “You can… if you want…”

“Yes, you most definitely should,” Tyrion chortled, “It’s cold out as the good doctor has already established, and you should not be out in this snow in your condition.”

“Is that so, Dr. Jon?” Dany grinned at Jon.

“I certainly would not want you to fall,” Jon replied seriously.

“Then you should take her up or drive her home,” Tyrion insisted, “I know you have a car parked somewhere.”

“Aye, I have a car parked somewhere,” Jon grumbled at Tyrion.

“I don’t live all that far,” Dany said, “And besides moderate exercise is good for me.”

“I can drive you,” said Jon.

“Yes, drive her,” agreed Tyrion.

Dany was thoroughly amused to watch Jon fumble for words.

“I’ll be fine, boys,” Dany giggled as she started toward the sidewalk again.

She had to laugh and shake her head as she heard Tyrion castigating Jon for not having her up, as she walked away. While she would love to curl up on Jon’s massive sofa and snuggle his dog… or him… she knew that whatever was going on between them needed to be put to halt. She had no business pining for a man who was off limits. He was ten years her senior after all, not that that really mattered in the grand scheme of things, but she was pregnant with a baby that was not his and he was a real adult, with an established life and career. What could she offer him but complications? She was not pining for him anyway, she just thought he was pretty to look at, and nice… and she would not mind snuggling with him as much as his dog. She shook her head at herself and headed home.

* * *

Dany sat with a bowl of popcorn in front of the tv, as she pressed the play button on the birth video that Jon had brought her. She wanted to have it watched before the birth class in a few days. She was determined not to be the only one in the class completely ignorant about birth and babies. It started off well enough, talking about contractions and how to know when to go to the hospital. Perhaps if she watched the video enough times, maybe she would not even need a birth class? They were now talking about dilation and pain management. Dany frowned, she had not given any thought to these details about birth, perhaps she really did need the birthing class after all? Part way through the video, she must have dosed off, but she woke up again to talk about pushing. She was partially disturbed to learn that she might poop during pushing, but she shoved that thought to the side, figuring that would be the last thing on her mind when the baby was coming out. Growing bored, she was considering pressing pause and finishing it the next day, but then more live footage was shown. She cringed a bit at the images of a woman laboring, and the obvious discomfort she was in. Then… then… Dany nearly lost her dinner, as the camera zeroed in on the crowning baby.

“Oh, my gods!” she exclaimed, horrified. She had never seen a baby born before and though she obviously knew the mechanics, the image before her was like something from a sci-fiction film. Terror shot through her, “Oh my gods!” She covered her eyes with the blanket, but then peeked to see if it was over, and squealed when it was not. When she finally heard the baby on the video cry, she peeked out again and quickly pressed stop. Hormonal tears sprung to her eyes… while the idea of passing something the size of a watermelon out of a passage that was typically the size of a quarter did not invoke an appealing image, she had not imagined it to be quite so gruesome. Scrambling for her phone, she dialed Jon’s number.

“Hey, Dany, you make it home alright?” He asked, cheerfully as he answered the phone. 

“What in the actual seven hells?” Dany demanded.

Jon had the audacity to laugh, as if his video had not just scarred her for life, “What are you talking about?”

“I just watched the video!” Dany groaned.

Jon laughed again.

“It’s not funny!”

“Well, considering I’m not sure what you are upset about, I cannot really comment,” Jon explained.

“What I am upset about? What am I not upset about?” Dany retorted crossing her arms over chest.

“Its real footage, unlike that other video you were watching,” Jon said casually.

“I think I prefer the other,” Dany snapped.

Jon only laughed, “Dany…”

“It was horrifying!”

“Surely you can’t be so… sheltered…”

That stung a bit, “I’m not naïve… I’ve just… I’ve just never seen it before…” She confessed softly.

“Well, I’m sorry if it traumatized you,” He said in a gentler voice, though it was still tinged in amusement, “But at least now you’ve seen it, and you are not going in blind.”

Dany huffed.

Jon sighed, “If there is anything specific you’re scared about, or if you have questions, you can always ask me…” there was a pause, “Or Olenna, that’s what your doctor is here for.”

Dany nodded, though she realized he could not see her over the phone.

After a long pause, Jon spoke even more gently, “There is no shame in being afraid of giving birth, Dany.”

“I know,” she said in a small voice.

“Can I bring you some more plantain chips to cheer you up?” he teased.

Dany rolled her eyes playfully, “Shut up.”

“Do you need some reassurance?” He asked.

“Maybe.”

“You are a strong woman, and your body knows how to give birth to a baby,” Jon said, “I have full confidence that you will do great.”

“I’m sure you say that to all your women,” Dany teased.

Jon laughed, “Doesn’t make it less true.”

“Thank you, Jon,” She replied softly.

“You’re welcome,” he replied, “Now get some sleep.”

“I will try,” She hung up the phone.

She did try to sleep… truly. The only problem was… she could not sleep. Her body was awake, and her baby was moving. Other parts of her were demanding attention… and they were hard to ignore. Sighing deeply, she rolled over to one side and then the other, and squeezed her legs together trying to relieve… something… Gods, no one had ever told her that she could be so… well… horny all the time, in pregnancy. Did people just not talk about these things, or was it simply her upbringing? Squeezing her legs together again, she buried her face in her pillow. She felt like she was about to combust. Needing to feel some level of relief, she started to reach her hand down but then retracted it. She had not done… _that_ … since she was a teenager, but she had felt the need for it… really since coming here. Apparently, it was not an unusual side effect of the second trimester, and even Jon said it was normal. Jon… she did not need to be thinking of Jon right now… The image, however, was already conjured… those deep grey eyes, and dark curls… and gods, that beautiful smile of his was almost enough to give her a mini orgasm. She tossed in the bed again. She did not need to be thinking of Jon right now… but think of him she did. Imagining his hands, she thought that he would know exactly what he was doing. She wondered if he would be a playful or serious lover… would he be rushed or gentle and attentive? Not having all the answers, she chose an image that suited her present need, and slowly reached her hand downward.

* * *

Dany had sat awkwardly on her pillow at birthing class, beside Sansa. It seemed everyone had a partner they could lean on during the class, even Sansa had her mother while her husband was away. Maybe when Missandei got back, Dany could ask her to be her birth partner, so that she would not be alone? Would Missandei want to be that person for her?

“I’m happy you came to class with me, you will come to all of them, right?” Sansa asked as she started the car.

“I plan too,” Dany said softly from the backseat.

“How would you like to come home with us for supper, Dany?” asked Catelyn Stark.

“Thank you, Mrs. Stark…” Dany started to decline but was interrupted by Sansa.

“Yes, you definitely should! You can meet the rest of the family,” she exclaimed.

“Um, al-alright…” Dany stammered. It was not that she was shy of strangers, just that she felt so unsure of herself here and did not want to impose on anyone.

They drove out to the Stark manor, and Dany thought it lovely and charming… it was called Winterfell, like an ancient castle, and it had some of the trappings and aesthetics of some of the historic castles she had seen as she drove north. Perhaps it had been a castle at one time? They pulled up into the circular drive and Sansa parked the car. There seemed to be a bustle of activity in the house, which made Dany smile.

“We typically have these family dinners once a week,” explained Mrs. Stark, “With the kids growing up and always so busy we like to have a day in the week just to be together.”

“I hope I’m not imposing,” Dany said as they got out of the car.

“Nonsense, we often have people to join us for supper, I love a full house,” said Mrs. Stark, “My husband, Ned, is a little more quiet, but he enjoys having all his children home along with any of their friends that happen to come along.”

When they went inside, Dany noted that the house was still decorated for Christmas, which made her smile. She could hear voices emanating from another room.

“Come on, sounds like everyone is already in the dining room,” said Sansa.

Dany followed them curiously, as she observed the house. In the dining room, there were a horde of people. There were a few teenagers, whom Dany assumed were Sansa’s siblings. Robb Stark sat beside an older man, whom Dany imagined was Mr. Stark, and beside Robb sat Jeyne Westerling, looking so at ease that Dany had to imagine that Jon’s matchmaking efforts were moving along nicely.

“Jeyne, its so good to see you!” Catelyn exclaimed, and Sansa went over and gave Jeyne a hug. Dany had to wonder if there were more members of Robb’s family in the plot to bring Jeyne and Robb together.

“Come sit, Dany,” Sansa called out to her, as she introduced everyone to her.

Dany smiled as everyone talked over each other, having rousing discussions about movies, or politics, or telling some story about their day. She had never experienced such a family life. It was not that her own family was particularly unhappy, but her parents were controlling and their relationships with each other were so formal. Her mother and father would have never stood for the lovable chaos that surrounded the Stark’s family table.

“How’s the plumbing in the house coming along?” Ned Stark asked Robb.

“I think it will be finished soon,” said Robb, “Jeyne’s been helping me.”

Catelyn looked between the two of them with a sly smile on her face, “Jon had mentioned something about Jeyne helping you out.”

“Apparently, I can use all the help I can get,” Robb laughed.

“Where is Jon by the way?” asked Ned.

Dany took a sip of her water; she was not going to say that she had seen him walking to the hospital earlier when she had been leaving work for birth class. She supposed he was still there.

“He’ll get here when he gets here,” said the girl named Arya, “He’s a doctor, doctors are busy people.”

“What about doctors?” Jon’s laughing voice from the doorway caused them all to turn, “I get the distinct impression that you all are talking about me.”

Arya laughed and got up to hug Jon. He was still in scrubs and so obviously had come from the hospital, but he had Ghost with him. Dany ducked her heard to avoid Jon's gaze as she recalled her less than satisfactory fantasies about him that she had conjured the last couple of nights. Ghost made his way toward Dany and planted his huge head in her lap.

Dany giggled, “Well, hello sweet boy.”

She scratched Ghost behind the ears and looked up to see Jon smiling at her.


	12. Taken Home (Jon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next little bit on this one. This chapter picks up right where the last one left off. I hope everyone enjoys!

Jon had not expected to see Dany at family dinner with the Starks, but he supposed he should not be surprised. The Starks were prone to adopting people. The thought made a curious warmth steal over him. She was blushing quite brightly when she looked at him and he was curious what was on her mind that could evoke such a reaction from her.

“And how many babies did you usher into the world today?” Arya asked Jon as he sat, with her usual bit of snark.

“Just one, actually, we had a quiet day,” Jon replied, “I actually spent the majority of the day at the office, and then just stopped by the hospital on my way over to deliver the one.”

“All in a day’s work,” Arya chuckled, “I could not handle a job with women screaming all the time.”

Jon chuckled, “It’s hardly ever like that.”

Arya did not look convinced.

“That’s because you only show up to catch the baby,” Jeyne teased mercilessly.

Jon grinned to see her sitting there beside Robb like they belonged together, which he was thoroughly convinced that they did.

“Sansa and Dany went to birthing class tonight,” said Aunt Cat with a pleasant smile.

“So, we will be scream free,” Sansa declared with a smile.

“There is nothing wrong with making productive noises during delivery,” Jon said, simultaneously wandering if he would ever learn to have a casual conversation like a normal human being.

Dany smiled at him in amusement.

“Anyway,” Jon cleared his throat, “How’s the… plumbing, Robb?”

Robb chortled, “Coming along fine, thanks to this one,” He gave Jeyne’s shoulder a rough pat like he might to one of his football players.

Jeyne looked decidedly disgruntled, “And no thanks to this one,” Jeyne smacked Robb’s arm.

Dany glanced between the two of them and then back at Jon.

“That’s the most unromantic thing, I’ve ever heard,” Rickon exclaimed loudly, making everyone go silent.

Jeyne blushed, and Robb shifted in his seat.

“Well, if you need any more t-bends or s-bends, you know where the store is at,” said Dany nonchalantly as she took a sip of water.

Jeyne laughed which seemed to ease the tension, and everyone else laughed as well.

Jon and Dany caught each other’s gaze for a moment, and she smiled at him.

“Any word from Podrick, Sans?” asked Robb.

“He keeps saying he will be home in time for the birth, but we all know how that goes with the army these days,” Sansa said sadly.

“Hello, hello!” called out a voice from the front door before Theon Greyjoy appeared in the dining room.

There were greetings all around as Theon took up his customary seat beside Robb.

“Jeyne,” Theon greeted with a smirk, that said he knew more than he let on.

“Theon,” Jeyne said tersely, even in high school Jeyne and Theon had a rather comically antagonistic relationship.

“So, Jon, I ran into Margaery Tyrell today,” Theon said loudly, as he leaned back in his chair.

Cat looked at Jon with a frown, that said she wholly disapproved of Margaery Tyrell and for that Jon was thankful.

“Oh?” Jon replied casually.

“She said that the two of you are talking,” Theon continued.

“We talk most days at work,” Jon said, though he did not add that they only spoke when she could find him.

“I meant like talking, talking,” Theon sniggered.

“I don’t know what that means.”

“I don’t understand you, man, you have a beautiful woman throwing herself at you,” Theon mocked, “You aren’t getting any younger.”

Jon sighed.

Theon shook his head in utter disapproval.

“Jon is much too busy at work, to entertain girls like Margaery Tyrell,” tutted Aunt Cat.

Jon smiled gratefully at his aunt.

“Maybe I will take her out myself, then,” said Theon with a look at Jon.

“I highly doubt she’d agree to that,” Arya chimed in, “You don’t have M.D. after your name.”

The whole room seemed to shift a little uncomfortably with the truth of that statement.

After a moment of silence, Theon turned his squirrely gaze on Dany, “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“No,” Dany said softly.

“Theon Greyjoy,” Theon stuck his hand out to shake.

Dany shook his hand, obviously feeling awkward, “Daenerys Targaryen.”

“Targaryen?” Theon’s face seemed to light up in recognition, “Targaryen? As in those big-time lawyers in King’s Landing, who defend politicians and high-profile criminals?”

Dany’s face flushed, “Yeah, that would be my father.”

“Wow, how did you end up here?”

“It’s a long story…” Dany glanced at Jon, “Jon found me on the side of the road on Christmas eve, and I just never left.”

Theon did not seem to know what to say to that.

“Dessert and games?” Aunt Cat asked, and everyone adjourned to the living room.

* * *

They ate Aunt Cat’s pie and played a ridiculous game of charades. Jon hated charades and was often castigated for being an appalling team member. The Stark’s loved it though, and so he tried to be a good sport, or he and Uncle Ned would let the rest play, while they settled into a game of chess. Tonight, though, he played, because watching Dany play charades was more than he could have imagined. She was animated and funny and threw herself into the game with passion. He noticed Theon watching her, and it made him strangely irritable. When they had stood up from the table, he had noticed Theon glance down at her baby bump and he seemed a little startled by it, but during the game it did not keep him from trying to flirt with her. Jon wanted to sock him, but Dany seemed relatively unperturbed. When the game ended, everyone was talking about watching a movie, but Jon needed to go home, and he noticed that Dany looked a little tired.

“Ghost and I need to get going,” Jon announced.

“Oh, Jon, no! You should stay!” Arya exclaimed.

Jon chuckled, “It’s been fun,” He gave Arya a hug and kissed the top of her head.

“Would you be able to take me home, Jon?” Dany suddenly asked, “Sansa and Catelyn brought me out and I would hate for them to have to drive me back into town so late…”

“Yeah, definitely,” Jon said as he grabbed his coat from the coat tree.

“If you wanted to stay later, I could take you home,” offered Theon quickly.

“No,” Jon said swiftly, all eyes in the room turned to him, and he cleared his throat in embarrassment, “What I mean is, it is not a problem for me to take her home, she does not live very far from me.”

“Yes, thank you, for the offer Theon, but this one is making me tired,” Dany put her hands on her bump, “And I just live a few blocks from Jon.”

Jon saw Dany’s coat and took it off the coat tree and held it out for her. Jon noted Aunt Cat watching them with an amused smirk on her face. Sansa looked strangely pleased with herself too as she got up to give Dany a hug goodbye.

* * *

Jon and Dany pulled up to Missandei’s house as more snow began to fall from the night sky. Both had been laughing whole heartedly at how clueless Robb seemed to be, and both were equally eager to continue their plotting to bring Robb and Jeyne together.

“How did birthing class go?” Jon asked as he put the car in park.

Dany sighed, “I think it went fine…”

“But?”

Dany shifted in her seat and pulled her coat around her, “But, I guess, I felt a little… well, alone…”

“Alone?”

“Everyone had a partner,” Dany said, “I suppose, I will ask Missandei, but it just reminded me how alone I am in this…”

“You’re not alone…”

“But I am, and its my own fault, running off the way I did,” Dany said.

“You have the Seaworth’s, and Missandei, and Sansa, and, um, me,” Jon suggested.

She smiled, “Thank you…”

“If Missandei can’t be there, I suppose I could…”

Dany laughed, as they got out of the car, “I don’t know how the teacher of the class would feel about having a childbirth doctor in the room, you might intimidate her.”

Jon chuckled, as he came around to her side, “I am not intimidating.”

“I don’t know about that,” Dany teased. 

Jon grinned and wrapped his arm around her shoulders as her teeth chattered. Her coat was much too thin for this climate.

“You need a better coat,” He laughed as they hustled up the front steps of Missandei’s little house.

“It doesn’t get this cold in King’s Landing,” she said.

Jon chuckled, “Come on, let’s get you inside.”

“The Starks are lovely, by the way,” Dany said, as she unlocked the front door.

“They really are,” Jon smiled, and followed her inside. The house was cold, as if the heat had not come on all day, “Its bloody freezing in here.”

“Seven hells, it is,” Dany shivered.

“Is the heat on?”

“I thought it was.”

Jon flipped the light on and went to the thermostat, “It says it is on,” he adjusted it and tried to get it to kick on. He could hear Dany’s teeth chattering.

“Maybe I could start a fire?” Dany suggested.

“I don’t think that would heat the whole house,” Jon said, “This house is a beautiful historic house like so many on this block, but its old and certain things are prone to breaking.”

“We can’t just flip the breaker?” Dany asked with a chuckle.

“Afraid not.”

“Maybe we could just call Jeyne?” Dany said with a straight face.

Jon laughed, and rubbed his beard, “If it doesn’t warm up, you can’t stay here.”

Dany looked a little embarrassed, “I suppose not…”

“You could… um, stay with me…” Jon managed, before he could think too hard about the suggestion, “Then we can call Davos in the morning and see if he has any suggestions.”

“I would enjoy spending some more time with Ghost,” Dany grinned at him.

He was amazed at how much she could draw smiles out of him. 

"So am I not too young to spend the night at your house?" She asked saucily, making him laugh. 

“I could not let you and baby freeze in here,” Jon replied, “It would be against my doctor’s oath.”

Dany giggled, “I suppose it would be.”

“Go get your longjohns and let’s get out of here before we both freeze.”

Jon watched as she bounded up the stairs with a laugh to gather her things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Spending the night at Jon's (Dany)


	13. A Proper Slumber Party (Dany)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next little bit. I don't know why the image of a pregnant Dany in longjohns makes me chuckle but it does. I hope everyone enjoys! 
> 
> Thank you for your comments, everyone's support and enthusiasm always makes me eager to write, whether its this story or one of my others.

Jon’s apartment had three bedrooms, and he carried her little tote bag for her to the bedroom with a large fluffy looking bed, that Dany thought she could melt into. She sat down on the foot of the bed.

“Comfortable?” Jon asked with a grin.

Dany fell back dramatically onto the bed, “Most definitely.”

“My room is the one across the hall, in case you need anything in the middle of the night.”

“Are you already going to bed?” Dany popped back up.

“No,” Jon replied simply, “But I suppose I should, it is rather late.”

“I’m kind of hungry,” Dany said, happy that she had grabbed her plantain chips, though now she wanted pickles and she felt silly for not grabbing her jar of pickles from Missandei’s refrigerator.

“How can you be hungry after the meal we ate at Aunt Cat’s?” Jon teased.

Dany put her hand on her belly, “Eating for two.”

“You know… that’s really not accurate, you’re not…”

“Don’t crush my dreams, Dr. Jon,” Dany giggled as she opened her bag of chips and offered him one, before taking some herself, “What do you do at night here all alone?”

“Read mostly,” Jon scratched the back of his neck.

“That’s it?” Dany asked as she rummaged around her tote bag for her longjohns, which Jon had gifted her.

“Yeah, what else am I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know,” Dany chuckled, “Do you date?” she asked though she did not want to admit that she did not like that thought one bit.

“No,” Jon said, “Well, I mean, I guess I could, but haven’t found… haven’t met anyone…”

Dany took pity on his stammering, “You don’t have to explain, I’m just being nosy.”

“I don’t know, I guess I just never made the time,” Jon finally managed to get out.

Dany laid the longjohns on the bed and pulled out her pair of fuzzy socks.

“I’ll leave you to change…”

“Don’t go to sleep on me,” Dany said with a teasing grin, “We can’t have a slumber party if you are in bed before the pajamas are even on.”

Jon laughed, “Is that what this is?”

“Why not?” Dany giggled.

“Well, I guess I should put on my pajamas,” Jon said almost sheepishly.

“Yes, you most definitely should,” Dany encouraged and imagined he wore those flannel button up pajamas with matching bottoms like a little old grandpa might wear and would sit reading with glasses perched on his nose in front of the hearth. The image made her giggle.

Jon left the room and closed the door behind him, and Dany hurriedly donned her longjohns and unbraided her hair. After she put on her fuzzy socks, she opened the door and scurried down the hallway. She found Jon putting various food items on the marble countertop. He had not noticed her yet, and so she stood there for a moment gnawing her lip and watching him. He had changed into a soft, white t-shirt, and sweatpants. The t-shirt accented his muscular arms quite well, and Dany felt a little flutter in the region of her heart… or maybe elsewhere… she blushed and tried to compose herself. She toyed with the ends of her loose hair.

“What is all this?” Dany asked impishly as she sat down in one of the barstools.

“Proper slumber parties have snacks, right?” He asked with a grin.

“Indeed,” Dany reached for the pickle jar that he had placed on the countertop as if he could read her mind.

Playfully, Jon snatched the pickle jar back from her, “Patience.”

“Patience?”

“Yes, I’m putting together a charcuterie board,” He said.

Dany giggled, “How very sophisticated of you, Dr. Jon, that sounds like something my mother would have prepared for a luncheon with the Lady’s Aid Society.”

Jon laughed, and continued his work.

Dany watched him and found the silence surprisingly calming. She felt no need to fill the silence like she usually did with most people… with Jon, he simply was, and it helped her to simply be too. When he was satisfied with his array of food placed strategically on his cheese board, he slid a few packages of hot cocoa powder and whipped cream toward her.

“How about you make us some hot chocolate, and I will build a fire,” He said.

Dany nodded, after snatching a pickle from the tray. Jon strode over to the hearth and began to build a fire and Dany found his kettle and heated some water. Jon would have made an excellent lumberjack, or forest ranger, if he had dropped out of medical school, she decided as she watched him squat beside the fireplace. She liked the way he rocked back and forth on his toes as he waited for the flames to catch, and how he occasionally patted Ghost who watched with him. Dany felt her little baby kick inside her, and she felt a little jittery at how dangerously domestic this all seemed. She shoved those thoughts aside, determined not to let her anxieties squash the lightheartedness of the evening. 

With the cheese board in one hand and two mugs of hot chocolate precariously held in her other, Dany somehow managed to make it to the coffee table without incident. Leaning over, she gave the top of his head a playful kiss.

“Thank you for the slumber party,” She said, deciding to ignore the curious warmth in her heart.

“You’re welcome,” Jon said, “It’s not every day that I get to have them.”

She laughed and sat down on his fluffy sofa.

Once the fire was roaring, Jon got off the floor and sat down beside her, “So what else must we do at slumber parties?”

Dany nestled her face against the back of the sofa, “Typically you play games.”

“What kind of games?”

“Whatever tickles your fancy, I suppose.”

“I don’t have many games, I think I have chess, and cards, and maybe Cyvasse.”

“We could play cards, that seems an appropriate game.”

Jon retrieved the cards and together they sat on pillows in front of the fire, playing Go-Fish and eating the food Jon had arranged. Dany felt genuinely happy which was a curious emotion for her. Jon’s calm steady presence was a good complement to her more giddy and sometimes anxious nature. She imagined that steadying presence made him even more excellent at his job, he inspired confidence and trust. When they got tired of cards, they simply sat in front of the crackling fire, with Ghost nestled between them.

“Thank you,” Dany said suddenly.

Jon chuckled, “What for?”

“For tonight.”

“I didn’t do anything,” said Jon.

Dany smiled, “But you did.”

He said nothing to that.

“Its so peaceful here,” Dany continued, “I can’t remember the last time I have felt so much peace.”

Jon touched her hand for a moment.

“My parent’s home in King’s Landing was anything but peaceful,” Dany said, “My parents fought a lot, and mother was very controlling, and I wasted so much time trying to control everything else that there was hardly ever peace.”

“Parent’s can be difficult.”

“And I was a difficult daughter.”

“We’re all prone to being difficult at some point in our lives.”

“I have a hard time imagining you being difficult,” Dany said as she tried to hug her knees but her little bump got in the way, frowning at the fact that she was not as nimble as she once was. 

“I went through a phase in high school that was pretty difficult,” Jon confessed, “I think I drove my aunt and uncle mad with worry.”

“And how did you come out of it?”

“I had vision,” Jon said, “I wanted to be a doctor, and with a vision like that, there is not a whole lot of time for messing around.”

“I’ve never had a vision for my life,” Dany said looking into the fire, feeling extraordinarily young.

“It’s not too late, and I think you’ve already made a good start.”

“I don’t know about that, so far it seems all I’ve accomplished is running away from home.”

“Sometimes that is the best first step,” Jon said, and he reached out and touched her bump, “You’re making a life for you and your baby, so striking out on your own was a huge first step.”

“I didn’t want to end up like my mother,” Dany confessed softly.

“And how was that?”

“She married young and for money, and has not been happy since,” Dany said, “Her and my father were not in love, still aren’t probably, they married because it was expected of them, they were highschool sweethearts… I didn’t want…” Dany looked into the fire.

Jon did not press.

“My baby’s father…Drogo…” Dany started, “He and I dated in highschool… he was older than me, and so he graduated before I did… but my parents always thought the two of us would end up together, he came from a wealthy family that ran in our circles… and so when I ran into him at a club five months ago, I hadn't seen in him in years, and well we…” Dany gestured to her belly, “And then this happened… but I had no intention of being with him… ever again.”

“But your parents wanted it?” Jon urged.

“They said it was the only appropriate thing to do… to save face,” Dany explained, “They cared more about their reputation than my happiness.”

They were silent for a few moments.

“Drogo preferred that I… I get rid of the baby,” Dany confessed in a choked voice, “But I couldn’t, not after I heard that little heartbeat for the first time…”

She glanced at Jon. No one except Missandei had listened to her like this, and even Missandei did not know all of these details.

“As you know, my mother has had a long string of miscarriages between each of us, and sometimes I worry…” Dany whispered, “What if this is the only chance I get?”

Jon said nothing, only took her hand and gave it a friendly squeeze.

Dany smiled, “I’m sorry, I’m killing the mood with all my drama.”

Jon chuckled, “You don’t have to be sorry.”

“Thank you.”

“It is late though,” Jon grinned and stood up from the floor, “We should probably go to bed.”

“You’re right.”

Jon took both of her hands and helped her off the floor. Dany yawned as she stood, before giving his chest a friendly pat. She was certainly growing weary.

“You need to find yourself a nice girl, Dr. Jon,” She said with another yawn.

“Do I?”

“Yes,” Dany confirmed with a sleepy smile.

“Now where would I find one of those?” He wrapped his arm around her waist, and they walked down the hall toward the guest room.

“I don’t know, I'm new here,” Dany giggled as she opened the door to her room. She looked into his eyes, he had such kind eyes… and when he smiled it damn near stopped her heart, “I’m sure there's some girl somewhere or other, that would like to make babies with you,” she teased.

Jon leaned his distracting forearm on the frame of the door, with a wide grin on his face, “Is that so?”

“I would imagine so.”

He chuckled.

“There’s always Margaery Tyrell,” She continued to poke.

He laughed and studied her face with a surprising softness. Good gods, he had a kissable mouth. Dany gnawed her lip and seemed rooted to the spot as she looked up at him. She told herself that it was the hormones messing with her mind, but she wanted to know what it was like to kiss him. Staring at him, Dany took a step forward… she was nothing if not a woman of action… hadn’t action gotten her here in the first place? She found herself on her toes, before taking his face between her hands and kissing him… quite firmly. For a moment the world seemed to freeze, until she realized that he was not kissing her back. _Shit_ … She thought she may have released a startled yelp as she pulled back and took a step inside the bedroom.

“Good night, Jon, thank you for the charcuterie board and for the bed and the heat,” Dany’s face flushed bright red at her words, as her wretched tongue seemed to have a mind of it’s very own, “Gods, I’m sorry…. Goodnight.”

She shut the door before he could say a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: a slumber party continued (POV undecided)


	14. An Improper Slumber Party (Dany)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The sleepover continued. Trying to capture tenderness, uncertainty, and unspoken feelings while also keeping the tone light and in line with the characters was a challenge, I never feel super confident writing these types of scenes, so I hope it is not disappointing!
> 
> Thank you everyone for your encouraging comments you keep me motivated!

Dany tossed and turned for an hour after she had slammed the door in Jon’s face before he could say anything. She had no business kissing him, and yet she had wanted too, still wanted too, but he had not kissed her back. Granted… He looked a bit stunned, as if he had never kissed a girl before… obviously, she knew that he had, but perhaps it had been a very long time… Still, she had no business throwing herself at him. Denying the fact that she wanted him, however, proved difficult. Tossing some more in bed, Dany felt her stomach growl. Her appetite was ridiculous.

“You are going to have to learn to control yourself,” she told her baby, though she figured she was saying it as much to herself. Would Jon mind if she got up and rummaged through his refrigerator? She supposed it was less of an imposition than an unwanted kiss. Dany sighed at herself. She left her plantain chips in the kitchen too, and so she then cursed at herself. Squirmy under her blankets, she also felt the telltale signs of arousal simmering beneath her skin and groaned in frustration. She was hungry, sexually frustrated, and in a house with a beautiful man just across the hall who had been blessedly clueless about her silly crush until her rather reckless kiss. Throwing back the blankets, she sat up. There was at least one problem she could solve… she could go retrieve her plantain chips from the kitchen counter and eat her problems away.

Still in her fuzzy socks, and longjohns, Dany cracked the door open just enough to peek out, making sure Jon’s door was closed, before she snuck out and padded down the hall. Jon’s apartment truly was beautiful, the combined kitchen, living room, and dining area was all open with a few support pillars in various places, two of the walls were constructed out of red brick and the floor was a polished oak. Obviously, as a doctor, Jon had money, but his apartment spoke as much of taste and character as it did of wealth. There was nothing ostentatious, but everything seemed thoughtful and sturdy. Dany liked the historic building very much and could see why Jon had made his home here, the only thing she could think that it lacked was perhaps some homey touches, some soft blankets and throw pillows, a few more pictures on the wall, so that it looked like someone actually lived here, and it was not just an advertisement for a historic loft apartment. She flipped on a lamp on the end table, before going around the bar to the refrigerator, her hormones wanted some more of those pickles more than plantain chips. Jon’s pickles were superior to the ones she had purchased herself at the grocery store. When she found them in the refrigerator, she glanced at the label and committed it to memory.

“You alright?” Jon’s voice asked.

Dany nearly jumped out of her skin, “Gods, you scared me!”

“Sorry,” He looked a little sheepish. Turning around, she had to smile at his beautiful curls sticking up in every direction, but even more distracting was that he was not wearing a shirt. Dany gulped, as she tried not to make a study of his well-defined torso and how his flannel pajama bottoms hung on his hips.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” She tried not to stammer as she put the pickle jar back in the refrigerator, her body now craving something else entirely, “I’m just dealing with all my troublesome symptoms,” she tried to joke.

“Anything I can help with?” He asked, coming closer to her.

Dany took a step back and bumped into the counter, “Not likely,” She said, though she had a couple of ideas about how he could help.

Now he stepped into her space, and Dany leaned back a bit. Reaching out Jon touched her neck as he might in an examination, “What kind of symptoms?”

Dany gulped, “The usual kind.”

“Mmmhmm,” Jon nodded, “And did you find what you were looking for in there?” He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he gestured toward the refrigerator.

_Was he teasing her?_ Dany smiled, “Not exactly.”

He took a step closer and cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand.

“What are you doing?” Dany asked, unable to stop herself as she felt fidgety under the intensity of his gaze even though there was a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

“What I should have already done,” He said before bringing his lips to hers. The hand that was not cradling her cheek snaked around her waist and pulled her close. Dany melted, feeling her raging hormones roar to life. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back fervently. _Gods, what were they doing?_ She did not know, and it did not seem to matter in that moment. He held her against him and teased her mouth open to deepen the kiss. Dany did not think she had ever been kissed like this… not that she had a heap of experience, but she certainly none she had could be compared. Unable to stop herself, she moaned into his mouth, right before he broke the kiss and nuzzled his nose against hers.

Dany had to blink her eyes a few times to make sure she was not dreaming as she caught her breath. Jon still had his arms around her, and when she looked at him, he was smiling, rather smugly, at her. _Shit_ … she was not ready for that kiss to be done.

“What about now?” He asked brushing his lips across her cheek, and not releasing his hold on her.

“I think the symptoms are worse now,” She said breathlessly.

“Are they?” Jon chuckled, looking a little nervous himself now.

“What are you going to do about it, Dr. Jon?” She asked saucily.

He laughed and kissed her again until she was writhing against him. Then he reached down, grabbing her knee, he hitched her leg around his hips, and did not cease his relentless kiss. Dany moaned and sank her hands into his hair. She tried to rock against him, but her bump prevented her from getting the proper friction.

He pulled back and Dany saw that his pupils were dilated, and he was breathing hard, he brushed his nose along her cheek, “Let me take you to bed?”

“My bed or yours?” She had to ask, as this was the same man who had not even a week ago had declined spending an innocent night with her at Missandei’s on the supposition that she was perhaps too young to know what she wanted.

“Whichever you want,” He breathed and studied her face.

“Yours,” She said firmly. She was not sure if it was her hormones or her heart, or if she could trust either, but she wanted Jon Snow more than anything right now.

“You’re sure?” He asked gruffly as he started to kiss at her neck.

“Yes, yes, gods, you can’t kiss me like this and not finished what you started!” She growled, though she was not sure if it was wise. They barely knew each other after all… did that matter? It did not have to mean anything if they did not want it to… did it?

He laughed, and grabbed her by the back side, lifting her up, and so she wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him. She did not know if it was her bump in the way, or if she was simply too heavy, but it was no where near as graceful or romantic as the movies and the novels, but they stumbled laughingly down the hallway toward Jon’s bedroom. They tumbled ungracefully into Jon’s room, and Jon nearly tripped making Dany squeal and cling to him more.

“We’re going to have to work on that,” Jon laughed as she continued to kiss at her neck.

Work on it? Did that mean he wanted this more than once? Did she? Dany grabbed him by the cheeks and pulled him back to her mouth and kissed him. He grasped a very full breast in his hand and Dany gasped, surprised at how tender and sensitive they were.

“Too rough?” He asked gruffly between kisses, “They can be tender… it’s normal… if it’s too much…” He tried to stammer out, but it made Dany laugh.

“Shut up, Dr. Jon,” she sank her fingers into his hair again more slowly this time, savoring the feeling of his soft curls. She took his hand and put it back on her breast and moaned when he gave it a gentle squeeze. Suddenly, she was overly warm and started working at her buttons, but Jon batted her hands away and began working at them himself.

“Get it off!” She demanded.

He sucked at her neck, and laughed, “I’m trying, I don’t know whose idea it was to put you into this contraption.”

She giggled and as Jon finally managed to unfasten the buttons, and start to pull the top portion down, baring her breasts to him. Dany shimmied out of the longjohns, and took a step back, and collapsed onto the bed when she tripped on her fuzzy sock. Locking eyes with Jon, Dany scooted back on the bed, and Jon stalked after her like a wolf on the hunt. She felt her cheeks turning bright red, as she was suddenly very aware of the fact that she was quite naked and looked very pregnant. He was not deterred, though, as he continued to move up with her, his body now preventing her from closing her legs. Reaching beside her, he lifted a pillow for her head, and she blushed like a virgin as he sweetly adjusted it under her head before he descended down her body once more. He kissed her neck and her collar bone, and between her breasts, before latching his mouth onto her breast. When he sucked and kissed, her back arched off the bed and she nearly screamed in pleasure.

Dany was a whimpering mess when he came off her breast and continued downward. Panting, she looked down at him.

“Where are you going?” She asked… suddenly realizing… was he going too…? Realizing rather quickly, that this man was much more experienced than she was, she decided not to fight it.

Slowing his pace, he gently pushed her legs wider, and Dany swallowed hard as she was on full display for him. He stroked his hands up and down her thighs.

“This alright, love?” He asked, his accent thick and deep.

“Yes, yes, please,” Dany whined.

Dany did scream when he used his mouth.

She came distressingly quickly as he worked her body as if he knew her inside out. As she came down from her high, she giggled as she thought that as an OB/GYN he probably knew where everything was… _What was she doing?_ She brushed the thought aside as she stroked his hair. Kissing back up her body, Jon’s palm cradled her bump, like it was precious rather than a problem. She tried to catch her breath but could not help but capture his mouth again for another kiss. She smiled and pulled him closer, but he swiftly rolled them to where she was on top of him. Stroking her hair, he kissed her and kissed her and kissed her… Dany did not think she had ever been kissed so much.

“What about now?” He teased.

“My appetite is still not quite sated, Dr. Jon,” She chuckled, and nipped at his lips, “What do you prescribe?”

Jon actually blushed, which Dany thought profoundly sweet, “How about me?” He asked after a moment of silence, he may know absolutely nothing about smooth words, but he was endearing just the same.

Dany playfully kissed him again, “I think that will do it,” She slid down him just enough to work at the button on his pants and slide them down his hips. Once he shook them off, Dany straddled him once more, and Jon surged up, wrapping his arms around her waist, and capturing her mouth again. She could feel his hard length brush against her thigh, making her mewl with want. He continued to kiss her, as she suddenly felt a rising fear. Could they have sex in her condition?

His kisses were growing more urgent, as he bucked beneath her and wrapped his arms around her.

“Wait, wait,” She whispered breathlessly touching his cheek.

Jon pulled back in concern and touched her cheek, “What’s wrong? We can stop…”

“Will it hurt the baby?” Dany blurted out.

Jon laughed and kissed her nose, “No, no,” he said equally breathless, “It won’t hurt the baby, if anything he might enjoy being rocked a little bit.”

Dany burst into a fit of giggles and smacked his arm, “What a thing to say!”

“It’s true though,” Jon chuckled, as he stroked her back and looked at her with a surprising amount of tenderness.

Dany smiled softly at him and touched his cheek. She still was not sure this wise, and she could see equal uncertainty in his eyes, but in his eyes she also so gentleness and care, and it made her want him all the more.

Suddenly, Jon looked startled, “I don’t have a condom!” He looked so crestfallen, she had to give him a reassuring kiss before she laughed.

Dany did not think she had ever laughed so much during sex, “I don’t think we have anything to worry about in regard to getting me pregnant, and you know my medical history…”

Jon smiled and kissed her.

“And I trust that you take your own medical advice in regard to your medical history?” Dany asked, stroking his cheek.

“Aye,” He kissed her again, “May I then?”

“Aye,” she teased and nipped at his lips before he reached between their legs and she felt him nudging against her. She gasped and panted as she felt him fill her. He held her waist tightly, as if he was afraid she would disappear in front of his eyes. Moaning, she wrapped her legs around his waist, and twined her fingers into his hair. For a few moments, they sat there, holding each other. Dany dropped her forehead to rest against his shoulder, and he gave her time to adjust as he stroked a hand up and down her back. The moment was sweet and tender, like making love rather than just having sex. The thought scared her a little… she could so easily fall for this man. His hand continued to stroke her back as he experimentally rocked his hips up into her. Dany moaned and turned her face to kiss his neck. He set a steady pace, and Dany moved her hips to meet him. They had grown silent, nothing but their heavy breaths between them. She thought she could hear her heart pounding. He planted tender kisses on her cheek until she finally lifted her head and offered him her mouth.

He nuzzled his nose against hers and smiled, “I guess this was not a proper slumber party after all.”

Dany laughed and held him tighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: The morning after (Jon POV)


	15. Differences (Jon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next little bit! Thank you everyone for all the love and comments, you keep me motivated to keep writing on all my stories, and excited to try and finish them. 
> 
> Happy New Year!

Jon woke early and found himself watching Dany as she slept. Her cheek rested right over his heart, and he could feel her soft breathing. Her arm was wrapped around his waist and her bare leg thrown over his own. He could feel her sweet bump pressed up against his side. Kissing the top of her head, he stroked her hair. He was not entirely sure what they had done last night had been a wise course of action, all he knew was that after she had kissed him in the doorway, he had not been able to sleep until he did something about it. Now he found himself with this beautiful woman wrapped around him, and he was not sure he wanted to let her go. This was his whole worry about allowing himself feelings for her in the first place… he was older than her, settled and established... rather old and set in his ways, in a manner of speaking. She had only just made her escape from a rather cloistered life, and he did not want to tie her here when she was just finding her footing in the world. He did not want to hamper her growth and her freedom when she had only just found it. He kissed the top of her head again, and she released a little sigh, and stretched, and clung to him tighter. Gods, she was sweet… how anyone could have let her get away, he did not know. He felt the baby kick, and he smiled. Taking the hand that was not stroking her hair, he placed it over her belly. For all the times he had felt a baby kick inside the womb, Jon was not sure he would ever find it less amazing.

Dany’s little hand came and covered his on her bump, “Are you measuring my fundal height?” She giggled sleepily without opening her eyes.

“He was kicking,” Jon explained with a grin.

“I know, he woke me up,” Dany tilted her head back to look at him, and she smiled.

He returned her smile and touched her cheek, “Let me take you to breakfast.”

“Mmmm, that sounds nice,” Dany crooned, and pressed a kiss to his chest.

Ghost made a sound at the door, and Jon groaned.

“He’s probably upset that I locked him out lastnight.”

“Poor baby, let him in!” Dany said with a playful indignance.

“He needs to be let out.”

“It’s cold,” Dany bemoaned.

“You stay put, I’m going to let him out, and I will be right back,” Jon kissed the top of her head again, “And then we will get dressed and go to breakfast.”

As he got up, Dany nuzzled into the warm spot he left, and nodded sleepily.

* * *

Jon pulled on pajama bottoms, a shirt, coat, and slippers, before exiting the room to take his dog down to do his business. Ghost was angsty, which meant he definitely needed out. Jon exited the apartment and when he got to the front door of the building, he nearly stumbled over Tyrion Lannister who was sitting outside on the front steps, smoking a pipe, and reading the newspaper, as if it were not freezing and the ground was not covered in snow. Jon released an inward groan.

“Morning,” Tyrion said, looking up at Jon pointedly.

“Morning,” Jon said brusquely as he descended the steps with Ghost who immediately bolted to the snow-covered grassy area and popped a squat.

“I did not imagine you would be up quite so early this Saturday,” Tyrion said, his gaze returning to the newspaper.

“I’m up early every day,” Jon countered, wondering what the little man was getting at, and deciding to play innocent on all accounts. What he and Dany did last night was no one’s business but their own.

“This seems a very special Saturday though, doesn’t it?” Tyrion chortled knowingly.

Jon shrugged.

“Because I was awake last night and could have sworn, I heard the telltale signs of passion emanating from nowhere else but the residence of Dr. Jon Snow.”

Jon hollered at Ghost to hurry, and Tyrion only smirked.

“But as I have never known you to bring a girl home, I could not be entirely sure it was you,” Tyrion continued, “Until I heard the distinctive sounds of northern grunts, no one in this building has a timbre is quite like yours, and further, I am fairly certain a female voice could be heard calling out your name.”

Jon hated that he felt his cheeks heat, “Would you like some forewarning next time so that you can listen at the door?”

“Touchy, touchy,” Tyrion stood and straightened his paper, “All I ask is that you remember the walls in this old haunt are paper thin.”

Jon said nothing to that and started to head inside, but Tyrion got up and followed him.

“I approve though,” said Tyrion, “You need a woman in your life, or maybe a few women…”

Jon sighed.

“Whatever the case, I approve.”

“Not that I need your approval,” Jon grumbled.

Tyrion only chuckled and toddled toward his apartment door, “Don’t leave her alone in bed too long, Dr. Snow, it’s bad manners,” with that the dwarf disappeared into his own apartment.

When Jon returned to his own apartment, he walked down the hall to locate Dany, and he could hear the shower running. Would she be opposed to him stepping in with her? Taking a risk, he opened the bathroom door.

“Dany?”

She popped her head around the curtain, and then smiled at him, “Yes? Come to join me?”

“I thought I might,” Jon scratched the back of his neck. He could not remember the last time he had shared this kind of intimacy.

“Come on then,” she urged.

Swiftly removing his clothes, Jon hopped in with her. The water was hot and felt good on his chilled body. Jon looked down at her standing naked in front of him, and she was gnawing on her lower lip, looking surprisingly shy despite her bold words. He had not gotten a good look at her last night as the lights had been mostly out. He touched her cheek and she smiled.

“You’re beautiful,” He said.

“Thank you,” She said, and then gave him an impish grin, “You’re not so bad yourself.”

He laughed and continued to stroke her cheek.

“Dr. Jon, you act like you’ve never seen a pregnant woman before,” She teased, but Jon detected a hint of vulnerability behind her words, as she looked away from him and started to lather up.

Jon was not sure what to say, and so he reached out and took the washcloth from her. She turned and looked at him, and with a nod, she allowed him to wash her. Running the washcloth over her neck and down her breasts, and over her bump, Jon gave her a reassuring smile.

“I’ve never done this with anyone before,” She confessed with a nervous chuckle.

“Never showered with someone before?”

“Never.”

“Why not?”

“Lack of opportunity, I suppose,” She said, “I’ve only ever had one serious boyfriend, and that was when I was in high school and so we definitely were not showering together.”

He put a hand on her bump, “And when this one was made?”

“It was just one night, and there was no morning after.”

Jon nodded. She was young and inexperienced, and Jon wondered if they had moved too fast.

“Just so you know, this doesn’t have to mean anything,” she said quickly, “I was horny, and I know that that can be normal, and I appreciate you helping me out.”

Jon was not sure what to make of that. Did she not want this to be more? Did he?

“You’re a good friend, and I had a good time last night,” She seemed determined to ramble.

“I had a good time too,” Jon confirmed.

“And I am very much looking forward to that breakfast,” Dany giggled as she rinsed herself off, before taking the washcloth from his hand, “Do you need some help?”

Jon felt suddenly very awkward at the idea of letting her wash him, “No, no, I’m fine. I’m looking forward to breakfast too.”

She looked a little disappointed, but quickly hid it.

* * *

They went to the little local coffee shop and Jon ordered for them before they took up a little corner table by the window.

“We need to call Davos and see if he can come out and see about yours and Missandei’s heater,” Jon said.

“Yes,” Dany took a sip of her hot chocolate, “I will give him a call.”

Jon nodded, “You want me to come to the house with you?”

“Oh, no, I need to learn to do these things on my own,” Dany said with a toss of her hair, “And besides, I know you are busy and probably need some rest if you are on call this evening.”

Jon nodded again, “Well, you can always call me if you need me.”

“Thank you, Jon.”

* * *

Jon was disgruntled the rest of the day, and he was not sure why. Neither Dany nor he had made a commitment to each other, and they had no expectations going into last night that anything would come of it… and yet something sweet and tender had passed between them last night, and he knew he was going to struggle to let her go. He knew it the moment he woke up with her in his arms this morning.

“What’s got your knickers in a knot?” Jeyne asked him after he growled at an orderly.

Jon glared at her as he continued charting, “I don’t even know what that expression is supposed to mean.”

Sighing heavily, Jeyne put her chart down, “I have approximately two minutes, before I need to check on how Mrs. Waverly is progressing, so you had better spit it out now.”

“Its really nothing, nothing that a little time isn’t going to fix.”

“Did you and Dany Targaryen have a row when you took her home last night?” Jeyne pressed.

“No,” Jon grumbled.

“You like her.”

“Of course, I like her, what’s not too like?”

Jeyne rolled her eyes at him, “Did you and Dany Targaryen get busy when you took her home last night?”

“Get busy?”

“Good gods, let me use language you understand,” Jeyne said in exasperation, “Did you and Dany Targaryen have sexual intercourse last night when you took her home?”

Jon swallowed hard, “She came to my house.”

“Did you use protection?” Jeyne teased mercilessly.

Jon glared at her.

“I’m sorry, I'm sorry, I couldn’t help myself, and besides, you deserve it after all the scheming you do behind mine and Robb’s back.”

“I do not scheme,” Jon protested, “I nudge.”

“Whatever the case, why would getting laid, put you in such a sour mood?” Jeyne continued.

“Its complicated.”

“Its complicated?” Jeyne sighed in annoyance, “Is it she is five months pregnant with another man’s child, type of complicated? Or is it you are at least ten years her senior, type of complicated?”

“Ten years is not that much.”

Jeyne laughed somewhat mockingly, “It’s not in the grand scheme of things, but that girl is definitely younger than you, and it would be a normal for that to complicate things between you. You are getting older and ready to settle down and stop living like a twenty-year-old, and well, she is still in those restless, finding herself years. I’m not saying its impossible, I’m just saying a little complication is normal.”

Jon did not indulge her with a reply. 

"It is also alright if the idea of her being pregnant with another man's child bothers you," Jeyne said seriously, "Being a stepparent is no small undertaking, its very serious, and no one would fault you for having reservations." 

Before Jeyne or Jon could say anything else, the light for Mrs. Waverly’s room went off and Jon pointed at it without saying a word.

Jeyne sighed, “Duty calls, but I will get it out of you, primarily in gratitude for all your lovely meddling in mine and Robb’s friendship.”

Jon snorted, and she disappeared around the hall.

“Doctor, we have a patient in triage needing assessment,” said the charge nurse.

Jon nodded and donned his coat. He could worry about everything else later… here he was needed, and here he knew what he was doing.


	16. Belonging (Dany)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next bit! I hope everyone enjoys!
> 
> Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful comments!

Dany chastised herself as she took Christmas lights off the Christmas tree as she had promised Missandei that she would. Missandei would be back today, and Dany did not want her thinking her completely inept. Yesterday, Davos had come over and fixed the heater… kindly free of charge since no new equipment was needed and he had not called out the lads. Dany thanked him profusely and sent him on his way. She felt bad for taking up his Saturday.

“If you weren’t so ridiculously needy, you would not get in half the scrapes you get yourself into,” Dany said to herself, thinking more of Jon than of Davos. She sighed. Her night with Jon had been like a dream, Jon had been both tender and firm, and had most definitely been the best she had ever had. Not that she had heaps of experience, aside from Drogo, there had only been one other male whom she had a brief fling with during her incomplete stint in law school. Her feelings for Jon were new and exciting, but she had had feelings like these before, and so she did not feel she could trust them just yet. Besides, her baby had to come first. Dany knew she was damaged goods… no one would want her now… It did not bother her before, not really… but it stung a little bit to think that Jon may not want her. He had seemed eager enough in bed but that did not mean he wanted her for always.

“Why would he want you for always?” Dany asked herself, “He is a grown man with a life of his own, and I am little better than a kid playing house.”

She tried to remove the tinsel from the tree and growled in frustration, “Who ever thought tinsel was a good idea? We’re never having tinsel on our trees in the future,” she told her bump.

She and Jon had spent a beautiful night and morning together, but that did not mean they were meant to be together. Dany did not even know if she wanted him forever… mostly she was confused… she had wanted him more than anything in that moment, but she had a lot to manage in her life right now and the idea of having a man in her life seemed so very complicated. She and Jon barely knew each other after all, they had no business dating… did they?

“He hasn’t even asked you on a date, Dany,” she scolded herself in frustration.

“Who hasn’t even asked you on a date?” said Missandei’s voice as she opened the door in time to overhear Dany talking to herself.

“Oh, you’re home! I wasn’t expecting you back till late!” Dany ignored her question and rushed over to give her friend a hug.

Missandei chuckled and hugged her back, “Well, I rushed, I was ready to be back.”

“Didn’t you have to unload the van?”

“I did, but I left everything in the archive processing room, I can sort through it all when I go back to work,” Missandei explained as she put her bag on the floor, and touched Dany’s bump, “It’s barely been more than a week and you look bigger.”

Dany chortled, “Well, that tends to happen.”

“So, who is it that has not even asked you on date?” Missandei asked with a grin.

Dany felt her cheeks blush, “No one.”

“You are just talking to the air about imaginary men needing to take you on dates?” Missandei teased.

“Yes,” Dany turned her attention back to the tree.

“It wouldn’t be the father of your child would it?”

“No, he and I are long over, and besides he did ask me on a date at least once a long time ago,” Dany chuckled.

Missandei’s eyes turned serious, “The father is Drogo, isn’t it?”

Dany looked at the ground, “Yes.”

“I thought you were over him in high school?”

“I was, but then I ran into him…” Dany sighed, “And we started to talk and then we spent the night together. It was never meant to mean anything, and I know I shouldn’t have done it… but there was a lot I was doing during that time that I should not have been doing.”

Missandei nodded, “Really though, who is it that you were thinking about when I walked in?”

“Jon Snow,” Dany confessed.

“You and Jon have been spending time together?”

“Yes,” Dany replied softly, “I saw him almost every day that you were gone.”

Missandei nodded again, her brow furrowed a bit in concern, “Jon is a great guy, Dany, truly, I don’t know him that well, but what I do know of him, I could not wish for better for you…”

Dany smiled… she knew Jon was a good man, and that he was well respected in this community.

“But do you think now is really the best time for you to be pursuing a romantic relationship?” Missandei asked.

“No, of course not,” Dany sighed, “He’s just kind, and funny…”

Missandei gave her a puzzled look, “I’ve never seen him as the funny type…”

“He’s more quietly funny, he’s not like all those immature guys who make a show of their sense of humor,” Dany explained, “I think he is rather shy about it…”

Missandei still did not look convinced.

“He’s also very easy on the eyes,” Dany laughed.

“I will agree with you there,” Missandei giggled.

“We get along really well.”

“Ok, well, I just don’t want to see you get your heart broken,” Missandei conceded, “You and he are in very different places in life…”

Perhaps they were, but that did not make them impossible did it? Dany sighed, she had no answers.

* * *

Dany slid on the icy walkway, and felt her heart nearly leap from her chest. Grabbing the fence, she stood there for a few seconds until she felt more confident on her feet. She had to be more careful when she was walking, just as she was not accustomed to driving in these winter conditions, she was also not accustomed to walking in them. She was leaving work, and had lingered, hoping she might catch Jon as he walked by the store on his own way home, but perhaps he drove to work today? Or had been called up to the hospital? He had a very important and unpredictable job anyway, and she could not expect him to have the same routine every day. Missandei had agreed to be her birth partner, but she was not going to be able to make the next two birth classes due to late work hours contributed to the new collection the archive had just acquired. Dany wanted to ask Jon if he would come with her… though he had made the offer before they had had sex and so she was not entirely sure where they stood with each other. Also, the idea of taking an OB-GYN as her birth partner to birth class was somewhat amusing to her and so she was not sure he would really be comfortable there. But she was not asking him to go with her to all of them, just two of them… so she did not have to be alone again.

“Hey!” A vaguely familiar voice called out to her from a car.

Dany turned to see Robb Stark, in his pickup truck slowing down beside her, “Hello.”

“Saw you walking and wanted to invite you to come down to my place, me and Jon and Sansa, and some of our friends are going to be there,” Robb invited.

Dany smiled, “Is the plumbing working?” she had to tease, as she put a hand on her bump, “Because with this one on the way a toilet is a necessity.”

“Yes,” Robb laughed, “That’s what we’re celebrating.”

“You’re celebrating the toilet?”

“The restoration of the plumbing!” Robb exclaimed, “Come on, get in, I will drive you.”

Dany smiled, “Alright.”

She got into the truck with Robb and settled into the warmth.

“You need a better coat,” Robb said after a moment as they began to tumble down the road.

“You sound like Jon,” Dany giggled.

“He is a smart man,” Robb chuckled.

“Thanks for the invitation,” Dany said softly.

“You’re part of the family now.”

Jon had said the Stark’s were prone to adopting people, and Dany liked that about them. She liked feeling like she belonged here. She was not sure she had had any genuine friends in King’s Landing, and she was hoping that she could be friends with the genuine people here.

“You and Jon seem to get on well,” Robb said with a grin.

“We’ve become good friends, I enjoy his company very much,” Dany said with a hard swallow, knowing that her face was not always the most impassive.

Robb grinned, “Right… well, he seems rather fond of you too.”

Dany felt her cheeks flush, and she cursed herself for being so transparent.

Robb laughed.

* * *

Robb’s house was lovely… old, and obviously in need of repairs, but it was beautiful. Dany had not known that Robb left business school to become a teacher and a football coach… but his enthusiasm for his job warmed her heart. He parked the truck and there were already people at the house. Dany realized he had left them there to pick up a stack of pizzas, which he had in the back, and then he had found her walking. He was kind and genuine like all the Starks. He came around and opened her door.

“Careful, don’t slip on the path, its slick,” Robb said, offering her his free arm to clutch as he carried the stack of pizzas in his other arm. They hobbled up the path and Dany moved quickly to open the front door so that Robb could keep a good grip on the pizzas.

“Robb’s back!” came a chorus of voices, making Dany smile, feeling suddenly shy as they entered the main room, and finding a small group of people sitting on the floor and lounging on Robb’s ramshackle furniture. Sansa was there, and so was Jeyne, and that rather forward bloke, Theon. There were a couple of faces she did not recognize, and then there was Jon… and when Robb moved from being her shield, Jon caught sight of her, and he smiled. Dany felt her heart skip, and she smiled back at him. He stood up as if to come to her, but Dany noted that there was a pretty woman, with honey blonde hair sitting beside him and Dany wondered if this might be this Margaery Tyrell, and why she was here.

“Look who I found on the rode!” Robb announced giving Dany a little nudge forward with a mischievous grin.

“Dany!” Sansa exclaimed, “I’m so glad you came!”

“Glad to be here,” Dany smiled and gave Sansa a hug.

“I could not let her slip down the sidewalk, especially with a storm brewing,” Robb gave her shoulder a squeeze, and she realized he related to everyone he was fond of like they were his football players, and it made Dany laugh.

“Is there a storm brewing?” asked Jeyne, as she took the pizzas from Robb’s hands and placed them on the coffee table so that everyone could dig in.

“There is, its going to ice over again,” said Robb, “Eat everyone, eat!” he exclaimed, making the group laugh.

For a moment Dany floundered, not sure where she fit here as the people in the room, obviously having been friends for years, began to chat and laugh and joke with each other as pizza boxes were passed around. She took a breath and prepared to plunge alone into the throng, just as a strong hand touched her elbow. Jon stood there with that devastating smile of his, as he led her quietly to the seat next to his.

“Let me get you a plate,” he said.

“Alright,” She smiled, and he smiled, neither seeming to know what to say but knowing that they wanted to be close to each other.

“I don’t believe we’ve met,” said the pretty blonde girl rather loudly as Jon took a step toward the coffee table.

“This is Dany Targaryen, she’s new in town,” Jon said, “Dany, this is, uh, Margaery.”

Dany and Jon grinned at each other.

“She’s the office manager at work,” Jon explained, though Dany knew.

“So, what brings you to Wintertown, husband come here for work? I know a lot of the soldiers’ families stationed at Castle Black tend to settle in Wintertown,” Margaery asked snidely, as she glanced at Dany’s bump.

“No, no, came here on my own I’m afraid,” Dany said with a chuckle. She had nothing to hide, this woman was obviously trying to stake her claim on Jon, but Dany was not so easily cowed… she had already been more successful with Jon than Margaery… not that she needed to be… Jon could date who he wanted.

“I sense a story there,” Margaery said feigning interest.

“Everyone’s got a story,” said Dany.

“The only story I want to hear, is why it took so long for Robb to bring this pizza back,” Jon laughed, as he handed Dany a plate.

“Isn’t he just a sweetheart?” Margaery asked, “Would you mind making me a plate?”

“Thought you were off carbs again?” Jon asked with a smirk.

Dany shot him a look, and he only smirked at her.

“One slice won’t hurt me,” Margaery batted her eyes at Jon.

Jon got her a plate and handed it to her with one slice of pizza on it.

“So how do the two of you know each other?” Margaery asked, as Jon sat down at Dany’s feet with his own plate.

“Jon saved me from a flat tire on the side of the road on Christmas Eve, and hasn’t been able to get rid of me since,” Dany laughed.

“Terrible luck really,” Jon sniggered, and Dany playfully pinched his arm.

The overly familiar interaction made Margaery frown.

“Jon is one of the best OBs in town, maybe in the whole north,” Margaery said, “Have you found a doctor yet?”

Dany cleared her throat, “I actually see Dr. Tyrell, your grandmother I believe.”

“Ah, yes, Gran is an excellent OB as well, and is really the reason the regional hospital sprung up in Wintertown to begin with.”

“Very true,” Jon said, “And that hospital, along with the families of soldiers at Castle Black, has really provided Wintertown with the base of its growing economy, even though we are still quite small.”

“I can’t wait to leave this wretched little town,” Margaery said with a huff, “Everyone seems so enthralled with it, but I don’t see what’s so special.”

“The people make it special,” Jon said.

“So sentimental, our Jon,” Margaery patronized, and Dany could almost feel Jon roll his eyes.

“So Margaery, since you are so keen on leaving where would you go?” asked Theon, making a play for the pretty blonde’s attention.

Margaery nearly rolled her eyes at Theon, and Dany suspected that Arya’s supposition that Margaery would not give a guy like Theon the time of day was quite true.

“I don’t know why you are concerned at all about it, Theon Greyjoy.”

“Just curious to know,” Theon said, “Perhaps to Braavos? Or Pentos?”

“Maybe Naath,” said Margaery.

“My best friend, Missandei, is from Naath,” Dany mentioned trying to make casual conversation.

“Oh, she’s that pretty little librarian…” Margaery started.

“Archivist,” Dany corrected.

“My apologies,” Margaery said, “But yes, I’ve met Missandei, she’s very kind, she did help me out at the library the other day.”

“She is kind like that,” Dany stated, taking another bite of pizza.

“Is she back from Essos?” Jon asked.

“Yes, a couple of days ago, though she is still very busy with the new collection they acquired.”

“Is she working late?” He asked with a mischievous look in his eye.

Was he flirting with her? “Most nights this week, and maybe some of next,” said Dany.

“Is it lonely over there?” Jon asked, and Dany saw Margaery’s eyes flash with irritation as she looked between the two of them.

“I get along,” Dany said with a smile, “Though I could stand to see Ghost more often.”

“Well, you’re in luck, he’s upstairs,” Jon chuckled, “Figured I’d bring him down when everyone was done eating.”

“Oh, poor baby, you locked him up there all by himself while we’re down here eating?” Dany scolded teasingly, “What kind of a dog father are you?”

Jon chuckled, “A disciplined one.”

Dany huffed playfully.

“We can go up and see him,” Jon offered, with another twinkle in his eye.

“We most definitely should, and we should take him a bite of pizza,” Dany said, and started to stand, and was startled to realize that either she was having trouble standing or Robb’s couch was very sunken in. Jon chuckled and stood and helped her up.

“Seems a little too early to already be having trouble getting up from the couch,” Dany said.

“It can be normal,” Jon said in a low voice, and she grinned into his teasing eyes.

“To Ghost then?” Margaery said, interrupting the moment.

“To Ghost,” Dany said.

“Margaery!” Robb exclaimed, grabbing Margaery’s elbow, “I need your keen decorative eyes in my kitchen…”

“Well, surely Jeyne…” Margaery protested.

“Jeyne and I have widely differing opinions, come…” Robb dragged her away to the kitchen, leaving Jon and Dany started there smiling at each other.

“Come on,” Jon said softly and led her toward the elegant but dilapidated spiral staircase.

“Is this safe?” She asked as she wiggled the bannister.

“Sure,” Jon assured, with less confidence than she would have liked. To her surprise, he took her hand and up they went.

Dany imagined Robb’s house had once been beautiful and refined, a center for parties and socialites and class. Some may think it an eye sore now, with its broken plumbing, wiggly bannisters, and leaky roof, but Dany could see the beauty in it… the beauty it has once been, she hoped that whatever vision Robb had in his head for the house came to full fruition.

“I love this house,” Dany told Jon.

He chuckled, “Robb has such a dream to restore it, but I think he’s in a little over his head.”

“He’ll be fine, he seems determined enough, and any one can do anything with a little determination,” Dany smiled.

“I suppose that’s true,” Jon’s eyes were tender as he looked at her, “Like you I suppose.”

Dany shuffled her feet, “I don’t know if it was determination or foolhardiness.”

“It was strength and determination,” Jon assured, “Don’t sell yourself short.”

“Well, I have not succeeded yet,” Dany deflected.

“Sure you have, you came up here, got a job…”

“At a hardware store…”

“Still a job,” Jon grinned, “You’re living on your own terms and building a life for you and your baby, and you should be proud of that.”

Dany looked at the ground for a moment, not accustomed to such compliments, but then she looked at him and smiled, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Jon opened the door to the room with Ghost and Ghost bounded immediately to Dany, bypassing Jon entirely.

“Hello, sweet boy,” She scratched him behind the ears, and Ghost looked back at Jon as if to teach him a lesson, and Dany giggled, “I think he’s mad at you.”

“Yeah, well, he needs to learn to control himself better around food.”

“It’s your fault you know?”

“And how is that?” Jon laughed.

“You’re always feeding him people food, every time you eat, and so he thinks he’s supposed to eat anything you do,” Dany explained.

“Yeah, I suppose so…” Jon scratched the back of his neck.

Dany continued to love on Ghost.

“I wanted to call you today…” He said after a few minutes pause.

“Oh, then why didn’t you?” Dany asked looking up at him.

“I didn’t know if you wanted me too.”

“Well, you will never know if you don’t call,” Dany said vaguely… in truth she had not been sure herself that she wanted him to call.

Jon nodded.

“Jon, I know you are busy, and I am not sitting over at Missandei’s pining for you,” She said flatly, “You don’t have to get yourself in tizzy over when you call me, call me or don’t, it’s as simple as that…”

He nodded again.

Dany gave him a teasing grin, “And besides, it seems you were occupied with other female company tonight…”

“No, she’s is not female company… I mean she is but…” He stammered, “She followed me here!” He sounded like a sulky little boy rather than the strong and sure doctor.

Dany giggled, “It’s alright, Jon, I think if you keep bringing her around Theon, she might be scared off on her own.”

Jon laughed, and surprised her by reaching for her and slipping his arm around her waist, “I had fun the other night…”

“So did I,” Dany said, and did not add that she had more than fun… she could so very easily fall for this man, and was not sure she could admit that to anyone just yet.

“Would you like me to take you home tonight?” Jon asked, his dark eyes studying her.

“Yes, I could definitely use a ride, since I honestly have no idea where I am at.”

“I could not have you getting lost.”

“No, you really couldn’t…” Dany wanted nothing more than to wrap herself up in him again, and not let him go, “It would be against your oath.”

“Aye.”

His eyes were so sweet and serious as he studied her that Dany was not sure she could breathe properly.

She gnawed her lower lip, and pulled from his embrace and began to pet Ghost again, “Are you available Friday night?”

Jon still held one of her hands, “Yes, why?”

“Um….” Dany felt suddenly silly asking him. Why could she not go to two more birthing classes alone? Would it truly be that harmful for her to be alone?

“Yes?” Jon urged.

“Would you be up for going to birthing class with me?” She spat out.

“Sure…”

“I asked Missandei to be my birth partner and of course she said yes, but the next two weeks she’s going to be working late, and so I didn’t want to be alone, and then I remembered you had offered…” Dany rambled feeling self-conscious.

Jon reached for her again, his hands cradling her face, “Yes, I will go with you.”

“Thank you…”

He leaned forward then and kissed her softly.

She giggled, “Thank you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Jon and Dany go to birth class, then an ice storm blows in


	17. Peanut Butter Sandwich (Jon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one picks up on the way home from Robb's house in the last chapter. I hope everyone enjoys!
> 
> Please note, I know nothing about pregnancy, childbirth, childbirth classes, or medical things, haha I just like to get in over my head.

The roads were icy as Jon drove Dany home from Robb’s. Dany had fallen asleep with her head on his shoulder which had indicated that it was definitely time to go. She was fully awake again now as they were nearly to her house. Ghost had half his body in Dany’s lap, as she patted him in the front seat of Jon’s truck.

“Are you on call tonight?” Dany asked.

“No,” said Jon.

Dany smiled softly, “What are you doing the rest of the night?”

Jon chuckled, “sleeping mostly…”

“I suppose sleep is healthy,” Dany giggled.

“Aye, that is the professional consensus,” Jon agreed with a grin, as he parked the car in front of Missandei’s little house. It looked like Missandei had company over, as the lights in the house were on and there was an extra car in the driveway. Jon got out of the car quickly to go and open Dany’s car door to help her out and make sure she made it up the icy walk without falling.

“Looks like Missandei has company,” Jon said as he offered Dany his hand to help her out of the car.

“I think she does, she said she was having a male friend over for supper,” Dany replied.

“Ah, and it seems he is still here then,” Jon said.

Dany wrinkled her nose, in a way that made him want to bundle her back in his car and take her straight over to his apartment. She was cute.

“You can, um, come over to my place… if you don’t want to interrupt them,” Jon offered rubbing the back of his neck.

Dany looked adorably bashful as she looked up at him, “And would we be sleeping… mostly…?”

“I wouldn’t want to wear you out,” Jon said, and though he meant it, the way her eyes sparkled made him think that she would not mind a little exertion. She put her hands on his shoulders and stood on her toes and kissed him softly. Jon groaned and grabbed her hips and pressed her gently against his car and kissed her some more.

“Take me home, Jon,” Dany whispered.

“I did…” Jon kissed her.

She laughed, “I mean to your home.”

Chuckling, he nodded and opened her car door once more.

* * *

Dany was in one of his shirts, making her look small and soft even as her round bump was obvious, as she kneeled on his bed. She loosened her hair and let it hang down her back in soft waves, watching him with her pretty eyes. Jon pulled off his shirt and threw it haphazardly across the room, making her giggle.

“I never pegged you as the messy type, Dr. Jon.”

Jon crawled into the bed with her and reached a hand out to guide her to lay down with him, “Seems you bring out all sorts of sides of me.”

“Are you saying I’m a bad influence?” she teased as she laid her head on the pillow, facing him.

Jon kissed her nose, “Definitely.”

She laughed, resting her cheek against her hand as she studied his face. Jon tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Dany nuzzled her nose against his jawline, and chuckled, “Your beard tickles.”

“Did it tickle the other night?” Jon teased.

“Aye,” She said in an exaggerated imitation of a northern accent, causing Jon to snort with laughter. Jon rubbed his bearded cheek against the soft, downy skin of her own, making her laugh and pull back from him. Jon snaked an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer.

“Maybe I should shave?” He asked.

“No!” She protested quickly, making him grin. Her little hand touched his cheek, “I like your beard… and the way it tickles.”

Jon stroked a hand up and down her side, and her eyes slid closed for a moment in contentment. He kissed her forehead.

“Sleep…”

She yawned, “I don’t want to sleep… not yet…” She shifted and groaned.

“Are you uncomfortable?” He asked. He knew her pregnancy was already far enough along that sleeping may be uncomfortable for her.

“My hips hurt.”

Jon took one of his extra pillows and offered it to her, “It may be round ligament pain… usually happens in late first trimester and early second but can last longer, and though you are a little further along, it would not be unusual, everyone is different… and you’re so small…”

She giggled, abashedly.

“Your body is just making room for baby…” Jon finished, as he hooked a hand under her knee and stuffed the pillow between her legs.

She laughed then and continued to stare at him.

“What?” He asked incredulously, not sure how he had incurred such a reaction.

“Why are you putting a pillow between my legs?”

“I thought it might help… in lieu of a maternity pillow…” Jon explained.

“I don’t have a maternity pillow,” She draped her leg over his thigh, “Besides… I’d rather have you…”

Smiling, Jon reached out and gave her hip a squeeze.

“I love that you are Dr. Snow, capable and wise,” She kissed his nose and then his neck, “But I also want you to know that its okay to just be Jon in here with me… if you want…”

Jon kissed the top of her head, “Sometimes I forget what he’s like,” He said with a surprising amount of vulnerability. 

Dany wrapped her arms around his waist, “I like you both, just so you know.”

“Do you?” Jon stroked her arm and kissed her cheek. 

She nodded, “I do.”

“It’s been a long time since…” Jon stammered, “Since I’ve been with someone… I think Dr. Snow is just my default setting.”

She laughed and caressed his cheek. Her eyes were so tender as she studied him, and Jon feared once again that what they were doing was not wise… What if he broke her heart? But then she was kissing him… and he was kissing her, and somehow those thoughts faded.

Reaching down, she grabbed him, and he gasped. Her eyes popped open and she winced.

“I’m sorry, was that too hard?” She asked with a grimace.

Jon chuckled, “A little…”

“I’m sorry…”

“No need to apologize…” Jon kissed the top of her head.

“Show me…” She whispered, as she shyly hid her face against his neck.

“Show you?”

“Yes…” She confirmed firmly, looking him square in the eye this time, “Show me how to touch you… I mean… only if you want…”

Jon stared into her eyes for a few moments until he thought he might drown in them. After a few beats of silence, he took her hand and guided it… slipping his pajamas pants lower. He figured it was not an overly difficult skill, but she caught on quickly and he buried his nose in her hair and groaned as she worked her palm over him gently… touching and exploring and coaxing. Then she went to nibbling at his neck, as she touched him, and he nearly came undone. She giggled and he growled.

“Does it feel good now?”

Jon nodded, then ducked his head and captured her lips, cradling her cheek in the palm of his hand.

“You’re perfect,” he whispered.

“Hardly,” She gave him a teasing grin.

He nipped at her lips playfully, before slipping his own hand lower to reciprocate, and she released a long low moan.

“Jon….”

“Hmmmm…?” He brushed his nose against hers.

“Don’t stop…”

Jon smiled, “I don’t plan too,” this girl would be his undoing. Jeyne was perhaps right… he was ready to settle down, and start a family… he could feel Dany’s sweet bump pressed against his abdomen and part of his heart considered that they might have one or two more along with this one… and they could build a life together… he was ready for that… but was Dany the one for that? She came here to build a life for her and her baby, but did that mean she wanted someone else in the mix?

* * *

Waking to the smell of something burning, Jon sat up and realized he was alone in bed. Ghost was not in the room with him either and so he went in search of his missing roommates. He found Dany standing in front of the stove trying to salvage something in a smoking pan. Her back was to him. She had recovered his shirt from last night and had her hair piled wildly atop her head.

“No, no, no…” She whispered to herself, “Behave you damn pieces of pork!”

Jon had to bite back a laugh as she tried to manage the escalating situation. She still had not noticed him, when she finally turned the stove top off and set the pan down with a resigned sigh.

“You just can’t do anything right, can you?” Dany sighed, and he was not sure if she was still talking to the bacon or if this chastisement was directed toward herself.

“What seems to be the problem?” Jon asked in amusement.

She whipped around and blushed, while tucking a loose strand of her back into the pile of hair on her head, “Cooking breakfast for you.”

“Just me?”

She put a hand on her belly, “For all of us…”

Jon smiled.

“Though I’m afraid we must go meatless, because I burned the bacon.”

“Could happen to anyone,” Jon gave her an encouraging smile.

“I suppose one day I have to learn to cook, otherwise my poor child will be eating cereal and peanut butter sandwiches for the rest of his life,” Dany sighed.

Jon came to her and put his hands on her hips and kissed her forehead. He noted that she had a batch of biscuits cooling on a tray that looked unscathed.

“I had the ingredients for biscuits?” He asked in surprise.

Dany snorted, “Do you really think _I_ made biscuits from scratch?”

Jon laughed, “I don’t know. I think you are capable of a lot of things.”

“You had a can of biscuits.”

“I had a can of biscuits?” Jon chuckled.

“You did.”

“I wonder where those came from?”

“Presumably from the store,” Dany grinned, “And I did not burn them… or the eggs…” she uncovered a bowl of scrambled eggs to prove it.

“Very good,” Jon said, “Biscuits and eggs will do just fine.”

“Will that be enough for your workday?” She asked gnawing her lower lip.

“Yes,” Jon put a hand on her belly, “Will it be enough for yours?”

“Yes, I don’t exert myself all that much you know,” Dany said, “I just operate a cash register, and dust things, and talk to people.”

“And you do it very capably,” Jon assured.

“Well, thank you, my sum of knowledge regarding hardware is growing extensively.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“Do you want me to make you a peanut butter sandwich to take to work for lunch?” She asked with a smirk. He could not tell if she was teasing or not, but there was nothing he really wanted more.

* * *

The ice storm had not yet set in, and Jon was hoping it would hold off until he and Dany returned from the birth class tonight, but the roads were already growing treacherous.

“Doctor, we have a possible emergency case!” called out Roslyn, as Jon finished stuffing his peanut butter sandwich that Dany had packed for him into his mouth as he dashed down the hall behind Roslyn. Jon jogged into triage to find a woman in obvious labor. He took her chart and read the notes.

“There was a fall?” Jon asked.

“Yes, on the ice,” said the husband, “And then she started having contractions.”

“Bleeding?” Jon asked Roslyn.

“No, sir,” said Roslyn.

He asked the husband a few more questions regarding the nature of the fall and then questioned the woman regarding her contractions and level of pain. The woman was 38 1/2 weeks, and so Jon was not going to attempt to halt the labor, however, the fall was concerning, and he was not going to take any risks. He rattled off tests to Roslyn that he wanted immediately to monitor the baby, and check for any trauma, or placental abruption. He saw the mother’s eyes get big, and so he knelt in front of where she sat to offer reassurance.

“As of right now, I don’t see any problems,” Jon said kindly, “Baby’s heartbeat is strong and your vitals are good, but because of the fall, I want extra monitoring, because sometimes falls can cause problems that are not always immediately evident, and if it is safer to deliver via c-section I want to be able to assess that with you now, rather than it become an emergency.”

The mother nodded.

“You did the right thing coming in as soon as it happened,” Jon assured, “You still have some time left before we meet baby, but we are going to get you to a room and see how things go through the day.”

The mother nodded again.

“Once she’s settled in a room, I’ll come back through and check on her, but I have to go back to the office briefly for an appointment, page me if you need me,” Jon said to Roslyn in the hall, once they got a room ordered for the woman.

When Jon headed out to return to the office for an annual exam, he was happy for the routine, as he knew once the ice storm hit late that night, there was no telling what the weekend could bring.

* * *

Jon set the pillow Dany had brought down on the floor, so she could sit on it. He sat down beside her and noted the few couples that had already arrived were rather cosy with each other as they waited for the instructor. Should he embrace Dany? Would she like that? He had never been to a childbirth class… well that is, except for medical school of course… but not a childbirth class like this…

“You look nervous…” Dany chortled.

“I’m not nervous,” Jon said, and he was not nervous, he just felt somewhat awkward, but that was not an unusual feeling for him.

“You’d think you were the first-time father who knows nothing about childbirth,” Dany teased.

“Well, I have never been on this side of the experience before…”

Dany patted his knee playfully, “Don’t worry, I will teach you all the things we learned last week so you are not behind.”

Jon chuckled, “Thank you.”

“Dr. Snow!” called out someone from beside them and Jon looked up to see one of his patients coming to sit beside them, with her partner.

“Hello…” Jon hesitated as her name escaped him, and he cursed at himself.

“I didn’t know you were expecting a baby too! How exciting!” The woman exclaimed.

“Um, this is Dany,” Jon introduced, not bothering to correct the woman, and in hopes that she would introduce herself. Dany tossed Jon an impish grin, as if she could see right through him.

“Hello, Dany, I’m Anne.”

Jon breathed a sigh of relief.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Dany said pleasantly.

“I didn’t know OB/GYN’s needed childbirth classes?” Anne asked.

“Well, she’s the one having the baby,” Jon pointed out.

“You couldn’t teach her everything she needs to know?” Anne questioned laughingly.

Dany patted his knee, seeming rather amused by this exchange.

“Um, no, well, there’s always more to learn,” Jon offered.

Dany snorted, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

Anne and her partner got comfortable next to them. Jon glanced around the room, wandering when Sansa and Aunt Cat would be here, and additionally hoped he did not run into any of his other patients, even though he urged them all to go to birthing class.

“We’re supposed to review the stages of labor and begin learning breathing techniques tonight,” said Anne as she looked over their course binder.

“Breathing is good,” Jon offered, and Dany smiled that amused smile at him again.

“Dr. Snow!” called out another voice, and Jon looked up to see yet another of his patients coming toward him. When he had offered to come to class with Dany, he had not considered the idea that he would run into his patients, but Wintertown was a small town, and was the main hub for the surrounding region. Jon did remember the name of this patient and he greeted her with a sigh, and Dany continued to watch him thoroughly amused. Thankfully, he did not recognize anyone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stopped it here because I was not sure yet if I wanted part of the childbirth class to be from Dany's perspective. We shall see how it goes. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and for your lovely comments!


	18. Ice and Fire (Dany)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next bit, I'm not confident with how this chapter turned out but I hope everyone enjoys! Thank you so much for reading and for your kind and encouraging comments! You all keep me motivated!
> 
> *** Please note, I know nothing about childbirth, childbirth classes, or anything of that nature, and so there may be plenty of errors in that regard. I hope you might forgive any ignorance on my part and the part of my google research haha ***

Thanks to [cmyatt01](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmyatt01/pseuds/cmyatt01) for this incredible mood board! I love it!

* * *

Dany tried to contain a giggle, as Jon’s two patients started asking him questions. She supposed neither he nor she had thought about the high probability of him running into any of his patients… which made her laugh considering this was one of the birthing classes for which he provided brochures to his patients. The husband of the second patient pulled her away saying that Dr. Snow was not here to answer questions and gave Jon a rather disgruntled look. Dany wondered if certain husbands did not like the idea of a man like Jon, or rather one who looked like Jon, caring for their wives. Were people like that? Dany wrinkled her nose… probably so. The patient named Anne, made herself at home beside them, and leaned against her husband.

“I hope you don’t mind if we set up camp next to you,” Anne said with a smile at Dany and Jon.

“By all means,” said Dany with cheeky grin at Jon.

“I’m sure we can glean some excellent tips from Dr. Snow as class progresses,” said Anne.

“Hello!” Sansa’s voice interrupted them, and they turned to see Sansa and Cat grinning at them on their other side.

Jon shifted looking dreadfully uncomfortable. Dany patted his knee.

“Fancy meeting the two of you here,” Sansa giggled as she put her own pillow down beside them and sat, “Hello Dr. Snow.”

Jon gave Sansa a teasing glare.

“Brushing up on the latest childbirth methods?” Sansa chortled.

“Very funny,” Jon whispered, and rolled his eyes.

Dany could not help but smile at how adorable he was when he was out of his comfort zone. He could probably teach this class, she knew, and she imagined he would do so excellently, but he still agreed to come with her, simply so that she would have a partner… so she would not be alone. She did not think she had ever met someone quite so genuinely kind.

“Welcome back class!” announced the instructor, a midwife name Dalia. Dany noted that her eyes immediately zeroed in on Jon, “Oh… well, welcome Dr. Snow, its good of you to join us, I did not know you were expecting?”

Dalia sounded genuinely confused, and Dany felt a twinge of guilt at what she was dragging poor Dr. Jon through having him come to this class.

“Um, she is…” Jon indicated Dany, and Dany had to suppress a giggle.

“Oh, very good, very good, we’re glad to have you with us,” said Dalia, who was obviously somewhat unsettled having an OB/GYN in her class.

“Do you know her?” Dany whispered to Jon.

“Yes, she is one of the midwives at the hospital,” Jon explained in another low whisper.

“Does she know what she is talking about?” Dany asked.

“Yes, she is a very good midwife, all but one of the midwives around here are excellent practitioners,” Jon said, “I’ve been trying to get Jeyne to become a certified midwife.”

Dany smiled, “Who’s the midwife, whose no good, so I remember to steer clear of her?”

Jon chuckled, “Her name is Melisandre, but you don’t have to worry, she only attends home births… virulently against hospitals… Dalia, I think, attends both hospitals and homebirths…”

“Are you against homebirths?” Dany asked curiously, wanting to pick his brain. She genuinely did not know that woman still gave birth at home at all.

“No,” Jon said, “But…”

Before he could finish his answer, Dalia started the class, beginning with a brief overview of what they would be covering tonight. Dalia glanced uncomfortably at Jon.

“Are you scary at work?” Dany asked in a whisper and with a smile.

“I’m very pleasant to work with,” Jon protested softly.

“She looked like she was about to wet her pants when she saw you.”

“I’m one of the best OB/GYN’s in the region,” He said simply with a cocky smirk, that she had never seen before… perhaps he had a doctor’s ego after all? He grinned at her.

Dalia cleared her throat, obviously not appreciative of the extra chatter in the back.

Dany straightened her spine and turned her attention to the teacher.

Dalia began discussing the stages of labor, and with each stage they would stop and practice the different types of breathing that would be beneficial in each stage. Jon was the sweetest as he helped her understand the breathing technique, complementing Dalia’s teaching rather than contradicting it. They finally reached the pushing stage, and Dalia explained the different positions and techniques for successful pushing before they practiced.

“If you are on your back, and if you have an epidural you likely will be on your back, either that or on your side,” Jon explained to Dany, “You’ll want to sort of curl yourself around your belly as you bear down, the nurses can help hold your legs, but some women like to hold their own because it helps them bear down.”

With kind and gentle hands, he guided her into the position, and she smiled at him. Dany also noted in amusement that Anne was paying more attention to Jon’s instruction than she was to Dalia’s.

“You’re distracting other students,” Dany whispered to him with a giggle.

Jon rubbed the back of his neck abashedly, and glanced at Anne, “Well, I suppose since I’m going to be delivering her baby, it’s not so bad a thing.”

Dalia began to discuss crowning, and Dany wanted to sink into the floor, as she recalled the horrifying video she had watched not so very long ago. One woman raised her hand and brought up the topic of tearing versus episiotomy, and how to prevent tears. Dalia started to recommend different things to help support the perineum during birth, including perineal massage. This seemed to spark a heated debate between two other mothers with differing views on the effects of perineal massage. Dany was rather taken aback by how passionate these women seemed about something she had never heard of.

“What is perineal massage?” Dany whispered to Jon as the two women’s voices escalated and Dalia tried to reign them in.

Jon whispered in her ear, so that the others could not hear, “In the weeks leading up to birth, some women use their thumb and forefinger to massage the perineum so that it stretches better for birth.”

Dany frowned… she had not given any thought to such things…

“And what do you think, Dr. Snow?” asked Anne suddenly, interrupting them.

Dany saw Jon nearly choke, as he obviously had no intention of joining in on the debate on the merits of perineal massage. Dany smiled sympathetically at him. 

“uh…” Jon started for a moment looking lost, but then cleared his throat and she saw him turn into Dr. Snow before her very eyes, “I think childbirth practitioners in general are far too quick to put all women and all birthing experiences in a box, saying that what works for one woman will work for all, birth is not a one size fits all experience, every woman is different, and their needs are different…”

The whole class turned their attention to him, he spoke with such confidence. Dany was rather proud to be sitting next to him, he was knowledgeable and accomplished and it showed.

“I’ve seen women who have done perineal massage both tear and not. For a first-time mom the risk of tearing is higher, but I’ve seen a first-time mom not tear because we used warm compresses to support her perineum even though she did no massage at all,” Jon explained, “Then there were others where tearing could not be prevented because they pushed too fast through crowning because they wanted it over and done…

Dany shuddered.

“My point is everyone’s needs are different,” Jon concluded, “I do not go into a delivery room expecting that what worked for the woman next door, will work for the women in front of me, everyone has unique needs.”

“I think Dr. Snow frames this debate perfectly,” Dalia said with a relieved smile.

Dany smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

After class was over, they headed to Jon’s car, as he had picked her up. Sansa and Catelyn invited them for dinner, but Jon had to work early the next morning and so they decided to go home. They stopped at the town’s only drive-in and got some food. Dany could tell the ice storm was beginning to fully develop. It was frigid out.

“Want to come eat at my place?” Jon asked, “I think Ghost wants to see you.”

“Well, considering I always want to see Ghost, I think that would be just fine,” Dany smiled and reached over and took his hand for a moment, giving it a squeeze. She thought perhaps that she was ridiculously smitten with him.

“Thank you for coming to class with me,” she said, “I did not consider that you would run into so many people that you knew.”

Thankfully, he laughed, “Neither did I, but its fine, we’re none the worse for wear, are we?”

“No…” Dany glanced at him again. He was so secure in himself, even when he seemed shy or out of place… Dany wished she could be like that… she wondered if it was due to his occupation, his age, or simply who he was as a person. They still had a lot to learn about each other. Dany glanced out her window, “The ice is getting worse…”

“Yes, it’s supposed to only get colder through the night.”

Dany laughed, “I didn’t know it could actually get any colder.”

“Well, you left your longjohns at my house,” Jon said with a cheeky smile.

Dany blushed.

He laughed, “I wouldn’t mind seeing you running around in them again… or in my shirt…”

Dany was not sure her cheeks could be any redder, “They were your longjohns to begin with, so I’m thinking you like seeing me in your clothes.”

“I like taking you out of my clothes,” Jon confessed boldly, but with a surprisingly shy look in his eyes.

Dany found that look endearing, “Well, if you want to take me out of mine tonight, you may… or do I have to be in your clothes specifically?”

“I’m not picky…”

Dany laughed.

* * *

That was how they ended up naked in front of Jon’s fireplace, feeding each other chips and laughing, as ice pelted the windows. Occasionally, Jon would put his hand on her thigh, or lay it gently on her belly, like she was precious to him. It did funny things to her heart, that she was not sure she was ready to acknowledge.

“This is a nice way to spend an ice storm,” Dany giggled, as Jon offered her another chip.

“Best ice storm I’ve ever experienced,” Jon chuckled as he leaned over and kissed her nose. Dany scooted closer to him on their blanket in front of the fire.

“And this is incredibly romantic if I do say so myself,” Dany said, though she was not sure she should use the word _romantic_ … they were not technically romantically involved… only sexually… were they friends with benefits? Was Dany alright with that? She shoved those thoughts aside, tonight she just wanted to be here with him, she did not want to have to hash out their feelings, “Do you think the ice storm will let up by morning?”

“Probably, but everything will still be frozen over, I don’t expect that to change for awhile yet,” Jon said, as he tugged her closer until she was nearly straddling his lap.

Taking his hand, she placed it on her breast, and he brushed his thumb across her nipple, making her shiver.

“Well, this is my first ice storm, and I am happy to spend it with you,” Dany nipped his lips.

He nuzzled a kiss against her neck, and she threaded her fingers through his soft hair.

“I was very proud of how you handled that debate in class tonight,” Dany said, and she could feel him smile as he continued to lavish kisses on her neck. She giggled, “Don’t leave marks…”

He nodded and kissed her collarbone.

“I’m sorry if being in class with me will make things difficult to explain at work…” Dany said, feeling a twinge of guilt that Dalia was his colleague, and it would likely get around that he was with a pregnant woman at birthing class.

“Its no one’s business, but ours,” Jon said.

Dany nodded, and wrapped her arms around him, laying her head on his shoulder… just holding onto him. He stroked a hand up and down her back and kissed her hair.

“I know I’m too needy sometimes…” She confessed, “But thank you for not letting me be alone at class…”

Jon continued to stroke her back, “I’m happy to be there for you…”

Dany nodded and kissed his shoulder.

“And you’re not needy, everyone needs someone sometimes…”

“I just feel ridiculously childish sometimes,” Dany confessed honestly, “Its like I’m experiencing the world for myself for the very first time…”

“That’s nothing to be ashamed of,” said Jon.

She shifted in his lap and wrapped her legs more tightly around his waist. He looked into her eyes, and she nodded before he slid slowly inside her.

The rhythm was slow and languid, and their shadows dancing with the flickering firelight. When Dany moaned, Ghost, who had been sleeping on the sofa, perked his ears up, making Jon chuckle.

“He probably wonders what we are doing on the floor…” Dany giggled as she buried her face against Jon’s neck.

“I’m surprised he has not been down here with us,” Jon said.

“Sweet boy, he probably thinks its too cold down here,” Dany said with a soft gasp, as Jon continued to move inside her.

He touched her cheek, “Are you too cold?”

“No, Jon,” Dany whispered and looked into his eyes.

Jon’s hand on her hip guided her, keeping their slow rhythm. The rhythm was so slow, Dany began to squirm in anticipation, making Jon chuckle. He gave her backside a playful and gentle smack.

“Be patient,” He growled as he captured her mouth.

She giggled.

“Sometimes slow and steady is good…” He said and groaned some semblance of a curse against her neck as they both felt the intensity building.

“I’m not the best at slow and steady…” Dany said softly, looking into his eyes.

Reaching between her legs, Jon began a slow and gentle stroke, that matched the maddeningly slow pace of his thrusts.

“Oh…” she cried and buried her face against his neck once more.

“That’s it, love,” Jon said confidently.

 _Love_ … such a small, confusing word… she wondered what it meant… Dany clung tightly to him, unable to look at him, for fear that her heart would break into a million pieces if this was nothing to him but sex. His strong, gentle hand kept working at her.

“Jon…” She whimpered.

“Come on…” Jon encouraged, his strokes remaining steady and firm.

“Jon…” She whined.

He shifted his hips, hitting a different spot inside her, and she yelped in surprise at the altogether new and intense sensation that swept over her.

He chuckled, and stroked some hair from her face, “There it is…”

“Mmm,” she moaned, and tried to tease, “It’s no fair, you know where everything is…”

She could hear the smile in his voice, “I still have plenty to learn about you…” He panted, “You are completely unique…”

She smiled and pressed her forehead to his shoulder, biting her lip, as molten heat and pleasure rippled through her.

“Do you like this?” He asked.

She nodded frantically unable to find words.

“Come on, babe…” He encouraged, his pace quickening, but keeping that steady rhythm.

Dany whined…

“Come, love, come on,” He crooned at her.

There was that word again… Dany moaned loudly.

“Come for me,” He whispered, and then the coil that had been building inside her snapped and she cried out, shaking all over, as he kept moving, working her through it, and then following her into this beautiful bliss they had created together in front of the fire.

Dany was shaking as her body came back to itself and she could not seem to lift her head, and so she left it resting on his shoulder. They were both panting. Jon’s tender hand began to stroke her back again, like he was soothing her. Dany felt tears prick the back of her eyes, and she cursed at herself. Why did she have to be so damn emotional? She sniffed.

“Dany?” Jon queried, and she could hear the concern laced in his tone.

She nodded, not yet able to speak.

“Alright?” He asked.

She nodded again.

“Too much?” He asked, stroking back some of her hair, obviously in an effort to catch a glimpse of her face to gauge her feelings.

She shook her head in the negative, as a few tears fell into his shoulder.

“Sweetheart?”

Dany chuckled, and finally looked at him, a few more tears falling out of her traitorous eyes. He cupped her cheek in his hand and brushed a tear away with his thumb.

“Why are you crying?” He asked in concern.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me…” She said with a weepy laugh.

He smiled and kissed her softly.

“I’m sorry, I’ve never cried during sex before…” She wiped at her eyes, “I never thought I’d be one of those…”

Jon chuckled and stroked her cheek, “One of those?”

“Those women who cry during sex,” Dany clarified.

He laughed and held her close. Dany hugged him finding comfort in his arms.

“Maybe it’s hormones, or maybe it just felt good, or maybe its emotions, it’s supposed to be emotional you know?” Jon offered, “But it’s nothing to be ashamed of…”

Dany laughed still not able to quite look him in the eye, and Jon shifted them so that they were on their sides, laying beside the fireplace. He wrapped his arms around her, her back to his front.

Dany rubbed his arm, “I suppose I should put you to bed, since you have to be up early tomorrow.”

Jon nuzzled his nose into her hair, making no move to get up.

“Do you want me to tuck you in?” Dany asked with a giggle.

“I wish I could lie in with you tomorrow,” Jon sighed.

“It is lucky that I don’t have to work tomorrow,” Dany said, “Maybe I’ll just wait for you to come home, and we could do this again?”

Jon laughed, “I could be agreeable to that… but it may be a long shift…”

Dany nodded, “Well, maybe I’ll go home and come back?”

“Whatever you need, love,” Jon said, “Just don’t walk home in the ice.”

“Well, how do you propose that I have a lie in, and not walk home in the ice?” Dany asked.

“You can call me, and if I’m not in the middle of a delivery, I can run back and take you home, it’s a small town after all.”

“I could not call you away from work.”

“Then call Missandei.”

“Alright,” Dany chuckled, “Shall I take you to bed then? Or do we plan to spend the night on the floor here?”

“Most of me never wants to move from this spot,” said Jon, “But the practical part of me, thinks perhaps we will both get better sleep in bed…”

“I think my hips would have to agree with you,” Dany confessed, though she thought the ambience of the firelight could keep her here forever.

Jon got up and then offered her his hand to help her off the ground, “Lets go to bed, love.”

Dany took his hand and stood. He put his arm around her waist, and they walked to his room as if they had been doing this their whole lives. A secret part of Dany wondered if maybe they might for the rest?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: JOn Goes to Work


	19. Sweetheart (Jon)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so sorry for the delay on this one! Got a little stuck, but I hope it turned out okay. This chapter picks up the morning after the last chapter. Thank you so much for reading and for your lovely comments!
> 
> *Note: as always, I know nothing about birth, so please forgive any errors in that regard.*

Thanks to [cmyatt01](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmyatt01/pseuds/cmyatt01) for this incredible mood board! I love it!

* * *

Waking up with Dany wrapped around him was making getting up extremely difficult. She was plastered to his side, clinging to him. There was nothing Jon wanted more than to lay here and hold her and kiss her, but duty summoned him. He was not due at the hospital for another couple of hours, but he knew he needed to get his day started.

“Dany…” He whispered, not wanting to wake her up so much that she could not fall back asleep. She did not have to work today.

Trying to move, she only tightened her hold on him, which made him laugh affectionately.

“Dany, sweetheart, I’ve got to get up,” He grinned.

She shook her head against his neck and murmured unintelligible words to him. Also pressed up against him was her sweet round bump, that seemed a bit bigger than only a few days before… he felt the baby move inside her, which usually served to wake her up, but it seemed that was not to be today, but then she moaned softly.

“Symptoms,” Dany whispered in a sleepy voice, her eyes still closed, but when Jon looked down at her face, there was a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

He chuckled, and smoothed her hair back, “What symptoms?”

“All of them…” she mumbled against his neck and kissed it.

He could not help but laugh, “All of them, huh? Perhaps I should take you to the hospital with me then?”

She giggled sweetly, her eyes still closed, “They couldn’t help me there.”

“No?”

“No,” she kissed his neck again.

He would never hear the end of it, if he showed up to work with marks on his neck, but he supposed there was worse things. Lightly stroking his fingertips up and down her bare spine, he felt her shiver.

“Your hands are cold,” She grumbled.

Grinning, Jon cupped her nice, rounded back side in the palm of his hand, making her squirm.

“Cold!” She scolded but ultimately did not pull away, continuing to cling to his neck.

“I don’t think I want to go to work…” Jon said, placing a tender kiss against her hair. He lived for work, where was this reluctance to move coming from?

Dany kissed his neck again, keeping her face hidden there, “How will all the babies be born without you?”

“Fetal ejection reflux?” Jon suggested with a laugh, he knew she knew what that meant, they had discussed it at birth class the night before.

Dany giggled and smacked his arm playfully, still clinging to him. He could feel her warm breath against his neck.

“I need to get up.”

“You need breakfast,” Dany murmured to him patting his chest affectionately.

Jon kissed her head, “You go back to sleep.”

“Someone needs to make sure you eat food.”

“I eat food,” Jon protested with a laugh.

“We need to fatten you up, your hip bone is poking me,” Dany giggled as she poked his hip with her finger.

Jon tightened his arm around her and was content. He had given so much of his life to his work, that he had hardly ever considered that he would have a chance for a wife and children, now holding Dany in his arms those thoughts crept in… though they were dangerous, he did not yet know what she wanted, or if she even wanted to share her life with someone other than her baby.

He stroked his fingertips up and down her spine, “Would you… would you want to have dinner with me?”

“Thought we were when you get off tonight?” She asked.

“I mean…” shite, he had not done this in a long time, “I mean… could I take you out sometime?” Jon braced himself for her response.

She was quiet for a moment, keeping her face hidden against his neck, “You want to go on a date with me?”

The surprise and confusion in her voice broke his heart a little.

“Aye, I’d like to take you out sometime, on a… on a proper date.”

She was silent again.

“There’s no pressure though,” Jon assured, “I know you have a lot on your plate right now… and now may not be the right time…”

Dany kissed him softly, “Thank you for asking, may I take some time and think on it?”

Jon smiled gently, “Of course,” they truly could take all the time they needed, there was no rush.

* * *

Jon was eating a sandwich, looking over a chart that a nurse, handed him at the nurses’ station when Val sauntered up to him and smacked her on chart down beside him.

“So Dr. Snow, I heard it from midwife gossip that you attended birth class last night,” said Val with an amused grin, “Needed a refresher, did ya?”

Jon nearly growled at her over his sandwich.

Val only chortled.

“Ah, Dr. Snow, I did not know you were expecting,” said Jeyne, raising her eyebrows playfully at him, as she popped her head up from her desk.

Jon glared at her which made her laugh but she said nothing else.

“Who was that pretty young lady you were with Doctor?” asked Dalia who walked up just in time to overhear.

“How are we all at this hospital on a Saturday, but we all have time to have this conversation? Are there no babies to deliver?” Jon asked, feeling rather on spot as a few other nurses at the station turned to look at him, some with surreptitious smiles on their faces, which told him that he and Dany had been the talk of the ward today.

“I’m on my way out,” said Dalia, “I was just curious… I did not realize you were with someone…”

“She’s a good friend of mine, and she needed some extra support, I’ll be there with her next week too,” Jon said.

“Uh huh, well, I’ll be sure to brush up,” Dalia chuckled pleasantly, “Well, I’m out for the day ladies, have a good day.”

Jon shrugged at her with a disgruntled huff.

Dalia laughed, “And you… our resident caveman.”

The ladies laughed and mostly dispersed back to their work, save for Jeyne.

“How is your love life progressing, Dr. Snow?” Jeyne asked with a smirk, hugging her chart to her chest, “4? 5? 6?”

“We’re not talking about my love life in terms of cervical dilation,” Jon said flatly, “But Dany and I are progressing just fine… I have asked her out on a date.”

“Well, that is progress, I will give it a 6.”

Jon did not add that Dany was still considering her answer.

“I don’t know her that well yet, but she seems sweet, even if a little young, and you do make a cute couple.”

“Thanks.”

“I do think I would have liked to be a fly on the wall in that birthing class with you,” Jeyne grinned, “You probably scared poor Dalia half to death.”

“Why does everyone assume I’m so terribly scary?” Jon asked indignantly. Was he really all that intimidating?

Jeyne chortled, “Because you’re always brooding and moody and intense, I know deep down though you’re just a softy, but not everyone has known you as long as I have.”

Jon frowned.

“Don’t worry,” Jeyne continued, “I’ve never seen one of the mother’s respond poorly to you… except for maybe Mrs. Stokeworth.”

Jon rubbed his eye, remembering its encounter with Mrs. Stokeworth’s foot.

Jeyne’s eyes softened and she patted his arm, “You’re good at your job, Jon, and what’s more, you’re a good man, Dany would be lucky to have you.”

Jon smiled as Jeyne walked away.

* * *

The emergency helicopter brought in a young woman from the mountains, who seemed to be in distress, though she was insisting quite vehemently that she could deliver vaginally. Apparently, the girl’s mother had insisted on a hospital transfer when it seemed the girl was not tolerating labor well. She had been attended by Melisandre, a local midwife who did not have hospital privileges, and who was often called upon by those who still lived rather simple lives in the mountains. Melisandre’s methods were at times questionable. Her father had not wanted a male doctor attending his daughter, but Jon was currently the only OB/GYN available for the emergent situation as Val was with another mother. The girl was screaming and writhing to the point that it was difficult to check her progress, and Jon was growing concerned about the baby. The nurses tried to calm the mother down enough, but things seemed to be escalating. Jon hated OB/GYN’s who used scare tactics to control their patients, Val occasionally did this though she would deny it, but Jon feared he was going to have to have some serious words with this young mother if the situation continued. The mother and father of the patient were talking over each other, and the nurses were trying to calm the patient, and the patient seemed to scream with every contraction.

“Can everyone in this room, take a breath!” Jon finally shouted, startling everyone including the nurses, “I need to know exactly what is going on!”

The mother and father clapped their mouths shut. The young girl writhing in pain was crying, but the nurses began their report to him.

A lot was being said about fetal heart rate dropping and the baby in malposition. The mother began to hyperventilate as her eyes widened at their words. One of the nurses rushed over to give her oxygen.

Finally, they were able to check the mother’s progress… she was fully dilated, but when they checked her they found that the umbilical cord had fallen into the birth canal… and the baby’s heart rate was dropping.

“Doctor,” The nurse drew his attention to the fetal monitor once more. The only conclusion was the cord was already compressed. The baby needed to come out… now… Swiftly, Jon set everything into motion. Trying to make the anxious young mother understand the severity of the situation was hardest, but he remained calm and collected, explaining the situation in such a way that would make a textbook proud. It was not his goal to scare her, the gods knew that if she ever had another child, Jon wanted her in the hospital or with Dalia, and not with Melisandre… there was no need for excessive fear, but the situation was serious. When the heart rate took another small dip, the young mother finally agreed… the baby needed out, and Jon would be the one to do it. They got her prepped for an emergency c-section. Jon loved his job, but the emotional toll situations like this could take on the mothers he served could be heartbreaking… birth was unpredictable, and no amount of trying to control it would make it otherwise.

“You and baby are going to be well taken care of,” Jon told the patient as they began to wheel her out of the room toward surgery.

She nodded with big fearful eyes.

“I’m going to be with you every step of the way,” He assured patting her shoulder. As he understood, the boy who had gotten her pregnant had abandoned her… which was not an uncommon tale especially in the mountains were the young people often escaped as soon as they could, often leaving heartache behind them.

“I want to go home,” the girl cried.

Jon tried to offer her a smile, “This will all be over soon… Do you have a name for baby?” He asked as they continued down the hall.

“No,” whimpered the girl, “Was going to have my boyfriend help pick a name… but… but I haven’t heard from him in a while.”

Jon nodded, not making comment on her fool of a boyfriend, “You’re safe now, alright? We’re going to do our very best.”

The young mother took a deep breath, and Jon hoped she believed him, and hoped that he his presence at her bedside would instill some trust. They rounded a corner, and Jon glanced up for a moment… his own heart dropped as he caught sight of a pair of big violet eyes filled with tears coming down the hall with a nurse…


End file.
